The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-12-11
Saltwater, Mimi. Thursday, Dec. II, 1890.
Five Gents.
HAvoId the Still XVaters.,,

ssAvo1d the Still Waters.',
We once heard a successful teacher say
he believed in working along tie lines Of
least resistance, and in taking advantage of
such legitimate forces as can be made to
serve us. For instance. if he were rowing
a boat up stream, he would hug the
Shore" and avoid the current. while if he
were going the other way. he would follow
the current and avoid the still waters.
Most of us would do the same thing as boat
men. but we do not always apply the same
sensible rule to our other undertakings.
Too often we seek the current when it
bears us away from our purpose, and too
often we seek the quiet of still waters, and
make little or no progress. when few
strokes would bring us into favOring cur
rents. To be able to discover what are ''the
lines of least resistance" and what the
forces that will aid us most. requires Close
discernment and good judgment, and these
come only with thought, study and under
standing. We often see people make such
excellent use of their opportunities and Of
the little forces and circumstances that sur
round them. that they are soon on the high
road to wealth or honor. and we exclaim,
often men and women of genius and skill,
who are never ready to strike when the iron
is hot; whose opportunities seem to slip by
without their knowledge, and whose brill
liant efforts almost invariably result in fall
ure, and we eXclam, How unfortunate
they are!" The fact is, that with all their
talents, they are not close students OF their
surroundings while the less brilliant and
more practical ones whom we call ''luckY"
are keenly alive to everything about them.
While the one is contemplating final results,
the other is wisely planning how to reach
them; while one anticipates with keenest
relish feast of fruits. the other plants the
seed and tends the growing stalk that shall
yield him fruits in their season. Life is
full of opportunities. but few of us know
just when and how and what to choose.
Few of us but have missed those, which,
had they been wisely embraced. would have
brought us prosperity and honor, such as
we may never receive. If the knowledge
of their loss has quickened our understand.
ing and given us clearer comprehension
of life and its fitting opportunities we may
yet be able to accomplish something worthy
of us. Few if any of the truly great began
so. They grew up to the positions they Oo-
cupy from comparatively small beginnings,
but it is characteristic of them that they ac-
cOmpllSncO llCtl0 JnlnSS III SUCH d way dS
would lead to greater things. They seem
to have had view of the end from the be-
ginning and not only that, but view also
of the entire course that led to the end
Next to knowing what is to be DONE is to
know how to do it. and this cOmprehends
the when, the where. and the why. To
anticipate final results with no cOmprehen-
sion of how they are to be attained, is to
anticipate that which will seldom be real
lied. There are 80 many ways that are not
right and so few that are right-sO many
places to look for that we SEEK and but one
in which to find it-SO many experiences that
tell us how not to do. and so few that teach
us how to do. and yet, unless we can COM
prehend the end from the beginning and
also the course to be pursued to reach it,
we are most likely to fail. How important
then. that we give close attention to our sur
roundings; that we understand the power
and influence and direction of the forces
about us; that we understand and truly es-
innate our own abilities, and that we make
the wlsest use of our opportunities, not for
getting that it is our privilege often to so
change our course as to take advantage OF
favOring currents or at least work along the
lines of least resistance and still be making
substantial progress in the right direction.
-MOntevideo Leader.