San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-11-08
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER s, 1896.
HINDSIGHT VS.. FORESIGHT.

ket and in his store, in his relig
ion and in his politics. in his
home and in his business. in his
love affairs and in his friendship,
whose hindsight is rqualled by
his foresight. Verify that man will
not get left, either at the count
ing house, or at the home hearth,
or at the marriage altar. He will
not sit down on the dOOrStOne of
vain regrets mourning for the OPP
pOrtunity that cOmeth not again,
nor will he curse his unluCky
stars for the tribulatiOns that
have come upon him through his
own lack of foresight There is for
that man long nights of restful-
ness. quiet evenings of calm en-
jOyment and peaceful days of
real release from the ordinary
veXatiOns and annOyanceS of life.
for to that man has it been given
TO take out a paid up insurance
policy against many Of the ills
that flesh is heir to.
i There is no patent process by
which a silk purse can be made
out of a gunny sack. neither is
there any patent process by
which the man whose foresight
is to exceed his hindsight can be
manufactured to order. The mills
of this or any other country are
not fashioned to grind out such
specimens of humanity. for such
humans are born rather than
made. They come into being the
fortunate pOssessOrs of an inner
itance of saving speech and sound
sense which leaves them natural
ly fortified against the too gen
orally manifested tendency to go
long on CAB and short on judg
ment. Such men and women
have behind them an ancestry
for which they should give thanks
at morning and at noon and at
night and whenever they come
into contact with those of their
more unfortunate fellows who
are born to waste words on the
circumambient air.
While this is true, it is also
certain that the natural inclina
ton to shoot off your mouth be-
fore you have taken good aim,
can be largely corrected by wise
watchfulness and that careful
observation of the other fellow,
which teaches the folly of being
hair-triggered in your brains. AS
the first step in the cultivation of
this virtue, the virtue Of a well
developed foresight, is the habit
of reticent watchfulneSs. Silent
. ly take in the situation. Note the
man or woman in any gathering
of their fellows. who is alert to
listen, quick to apprchcnd, slow
to speak, and you will soon see
that their words when they speak
generally carry weight. These
people are taking time to carry
their minds around the question
considered and take a rear view
of the situation. They are taking
their hindsight view of the prem
Uses before they deliver them
selves.
1t is this disposition to cOnsid
er all sides before taking a posi-
ton upon any, that marks tn,
foresighted man or woman. 1t i,
the disposition to take up a posi-
ton first and consider the out
come afterward that marks tn,
hindsighted man or woman. Tn,
contentious of politics or religion
or business or society or sport al
afford their example of the ten
dency to thrust an uncOnsidere(
opinion into the face of anv gath
ering. and the inevitable discred
it to the judgment of the thruste
that follows. 1t is singular tina
this indiscretion should be S,
general, when all that is required
to correct it is to keep silence
Words seem TO be so cheap, how
ever. that the ordinary mortal i
unduly prodigal with them. Thi
follows the universal law of in
consistency, which DEGREES tina
we shall be most lavish with tina
of which we possess least.
1t is not the man with TIL
wealth to justify his extrava
gance that is most lavish will
his dollars. 1t is not he man
with the biggest bank account