The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-05-18
How TO ENJOY iIpE.

Sea < y" -ENpecta I.
An oId gentleman WHO was noted for
his tranquility and generally qnt.t and
uhrnl1-d temper, was once a.,,ei the
secret OF his happiness. i Cannot So
that AN what one would call happy"
he answered, 'LUt | am-wel.-.non-
~exnec>ant' would probab'v fit the case
better than any term / could U,n. !
think a great deal Of the uuhap0.uess
OF IA world comes from "xr-.tisy in
possibilities, therefore I!s1- ago Taught
myself to take with thanHfulne~s wat
ever came that was not actually evil"
That man lived long and dies happy
at a good old age. More than this. he
was universally respected and loved
and was a welcome guest at every fire.
side where he was acquainted. And
this, not alone because he CHANGED to
be agreeable n not troublesome, but
because he always carried with him d
fund Of quaint, homelv philosophy,
which fitted into the chinks OF every
day life and smOOthed down rough
places, and SO cushioned over the sensi-
tive spots of humanity that the buffet
ing Of the world touched them too
gently to hurt. Unhappy or unfortu-
nate man, woman or child nnver par ed
company with him hat there was not
a more complacent expression on
the troubled cO~untenance and d
little CLEAN of comfort and
rest in the heart made sore
by trial and suffering. And yet his
only theory was contained in the
words: "Wcll, well, child, don't you
expect too much of people and things"
And there were always a bit of ~illustra-
ton, an anecdote, a dry joke. a twist of
a word, which emphasized and punctu-
ated his philosophy, and left their i'm
preston on the mind of the listener.
He never indulged in what might be
called preaching" but vas SO full of
hOmely cOmJnonplaces ard what he
used to call Observation-Disclosures
patience" that it was more restful and
refreshing than the most brilliant ora
tory or the most finished discourse.
There are so much health, wealth and
peace of mind in the nuu-expcctant
idea, hat II can bat wonder that
more attention is not given to the pro-
pagation of it, and more full explana-
tons of its beauties and blessings.
Who has not made preparations for a
journey or an excursion with the high
est anticipation filling the mind, with
everything favorable and everybody
apparently bent on having the best
possible time, only to cO1n" back bored
and disappointed and Almost, If not
quite disguised? And again, wheu
starting out on some expedition OF
pleasure or business or bOtn. how MANY
times have we been dragged, as it were
actually forced, by circuits &nc 5 to 90
somewhere or do some necessary thing?
And how Often is it that the GRAND
or visit proves to be one Of lOnG-re-
membcred events OF our lives, result
ing, perhaps, in ad~v1ntares or profits
never before enjoyed? But most Of US
learn nothing from experiences of this
sort. We go on in a blind way, some
times relating our happy experiences,
but almost always speaking Of them rs
such queer circumstances or strange
happenings.
We shut our eyes to the fact that all
Of this is the result of clearly defined
laws and conditions, that we were in q
non-eXpectant state and not full of I'M
reasonable hopes and ~lOngingS; there
fore agreeable things, even those of
minor consequence, gave us the keencst
pleasure.
If, on the other hand, we had started
out expecting to find everything rose
colored, and full of the idea that all
things were to be arranged to suit our
whims and fancies and fit in with our
caprices, the chances are that at the
ar-+ 4,,,.o +Io~o uyo,,1l hn nTp hCaol l.
in the chain of affairs or some unfavor-
able phase would present itself and
throw us into an irritable
mood, which would last for the
rest of the trip. 1t is SO easy to
be disappointed when once the
mind is made up to the prospect of I'M
interrupted pleasure; so easy to let the
brightness of life drift by us while we
grumble about our petty misfOrtunes.
How much better it would be to curb
our capricious hopes and fancies and
take a more reasonable view of things.
1t is unreasonable and silly to imagine
that matters will always go Il way.
Indeed when we sit down quietly and
look the situation squarely in the face
we know that they will not do so; for
I1C SOuISS VA - 10 IL WY NAooNON Ab
twisted affair, and its paths are full of
thorns and uneven places, and there
are many obstacles and slippery sleeps
along its line. Why, then, is it not
more wise TO recognize the fact and to
calculate accordingly?
To realize the uncertainty of all of
our plans, and then to take into cOn-
%sideratiOn the fact Ina the little pleas
ure we derive from life is really all
clear gain, are to have solved the prob
lem of life. 1t will save US many dis
appointments and heartaches if we can
adopt and live up to the motto:
blessed are they who expect nothing,
for they shall never be disappointed" =
n. Y. Ledger.
When Baby was SICK, we GO. e her Castoria.