The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-05-27
A COMMON SENSE VIEW
Jane Gordon Speaks OF tho Folly of Looh-
ing backward.

W bear IL we have something
VAI pleasant in prospect! This ap-
" plies to all annoyances, to ev-
erything which is distressing
W.. and apt to get on our nerves.
1t applies to work, fatigue, heartache
and homesickness. We can labor with
will; we can stand WEAKNESS OF mind
and body; we do not care much what
happens during the day IL we can look
forward to something enjoyable at its
close. We can delve all the week, II
we know there Is something bright for
us at the end Of 1t.
The kind of thing that is hard to en-
dur with patience and cheerfulness Is
dull, fiat monotony, ceaseless round
Of care and toll with nothing pleas
ant to which we can look ahead. This
Is the life that kills. 1t is SO natural
for us humans to live in the future.
We must look ahead or we will faint
| by the wayside. Host of us live al
ways IN the future. We never are. but
always to be, blest. But some of US
have that most unfortunate habit of
dwelling in the past. Take hope and
| anticipation away from US, and what
Is left? Looking ahead to something
better, something happier, something
higbzr, Is the stimulus we must have,
else should we soon droop and die.
Living in the past is one of the
greatest mistakes a person can make.
| We should never look back. To do SO
Is fatal. Nothing is gained by It, and
much is lost. The past should lie
buried like all dead things, and should
never be resurrected to hamper our
movements and clog our ambition.
Look ahead and push onward!'
should be our motto. Looking back
Is almost sure to paralyze endeavor
We should profit by experience and
aviod taking the same false step twice
but we can easily remember the snar-
es and pitfalls which were all along
TIE road by which we have come,
without thinking too much about them.
And IL In our ignorance our feet stun-
bled sometimes we need not dwell on
the unfortunate circumstances. Regret
ting IL to the extent of brooding over
| 1t can do only harm. We cannot al
ter a cold, stubborn fact. But we need
not stumble second time over the
same obstacle, or allow ourselves to
be shared twice in the same way. 60
| Looking backward will make us
morbid, and the next step Is melan'
cholia, and then the madhouse Is
within hailing distance. Looking
backward to better days Is even
worse than regretting an unfortunate
past. II is so useless and SO foolish
to be always comparing our present
lot with some particn,ariy green and
bright oasis in the desert.
life is checkered. shade and sun
shine" and most of us-have to live in
shadow part of the time. Very few
are permitted to bask In the sunshine
sll their lives. We must make up our
minds to take some bitter with the
sweet. some clouds with the sunlight.
1t is only person Of weak intellect
that sits dumbly down at the first
dark spot he reaches on the journey of
life, and stretches, out his arms des-
last saw the sun. Yesterday will new
pairingly toward the place where he
er come again. Bright and cherry or
dark and gloomy. it will never more
dawn on this planet.
But there are always to-mrrrows.
|
To-day is ours at least, and If we look
look ahead cheerfully and hopefully.
resolved to do our best and not waste
precious time and lower our stock Of
courage and energy, and unfit our
selves wholly for the battle before US.
by constant retrospection we may live
to see another sun rise as bright and
glorious as any that ever gladdened
our eyes.
Few lives are absolutely bleak and
gray. Few lives that are not some
times kissed by the sun. Most Of us
can usually see the star of hope beam
ing brightly before us. Living in the
future Is natural and healthful. II
spurs the ambition and encourages
cheerfulness.
Living in the past is unwholesome
and unnatural. 1t Is death to right ef-
fort and endangers madness.