The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-11-13
THOUGHTS on WAITING FOR
PRAISE.

The massive injustice which does not
roeognize or appreciate the good work
won are trying to do also hurts. In
i.ct the keener the ambition Of soul
IN be up and doing or 10 be understood
and appreciated, the greater the posi-
oiHtv of a sense of hurt as the foot
.ieps Journey through life
But some of the hurts We feel are
really caused by ourselves, through an
over.weeuing desire for appreciation
We are not happy unless the little pat
an the head is given to MS when We do
something that is good i'm ITSELF bat
which after an is no more than our
social duty TO perform. Let us look
over the fields for a lesson:-we know
that food is needed TO keep the whole
human family alive, that the farmer
raising his crop Of potatoes or Of wheat
is rendering 10 possible for thousands Of
other human beings TO live and to work
where crops cannot be raised. From
the point of view Of maintenance Of
life there Is NO more important social
servant than the farmer. Without his
work civilization would 20 TO pieces,
and each individual, except those
strong enough TO forage for themselves,
would die. Now. will the farmer re-
fuse to pillow and 20 harrow, tocultivate
and TO reap unless he gets praise from
every passer-by who sees him bowed
low over his work? No, Indeed We
an know that we must eat to live, aud
We believe the farmer is going to do
bis work 90 keep us alive whether we
shout our appreciation at him or not.
You 10 your little place, and we in ours,
If we see before us a thing that ought
10 be done we oughttodoIt, though other
people. busy about their own duties or
idling about none, fail to give us a
word Of good cheer. Too many of us
make ourselves miserable because we
seem TO labor on unseen and unknown.
Putit % yourself another way;-the
vast crowds that make up the world
are not known 90 you personally, in
fact you know very little of what is go
ing on iu the world and you know not
much more ABOUT the motives and pur-
plses Of your own nelghbors. How
much praise are you giving to others ?
How much generous commentator Of
anothers work do you impartto a third
person Are you failing to give out to
the world and it's myriad upward in
huences the very praise that your own
heart yearus for? If now you know
but few IN this vast world, and even TO
those few give only grudgingly Of the
praise they deserve, why should you
expect the great world TO stop and
praise the one who would take but
never give? It is unreasonable . To
win praise, OF at any rate TO deserve it,
or better still 90 show that We have the
real heart of human sympathy, it
should be our business 10 give praise
where acts deserve it without prying
too closely into motives; for on the
subject of motives, most Of us need some
secret recess that investigation cannot
reach. The world is full Of people to
be praised Every highway and hedge
tells Of the social work of someone who,
no matter what the motiye, leaves en-
joyment and hep and social order to
others. Truly those who have eyes tc
see the deep things Of life and ears to
hear the uudertones Of this great active
globe, have no time nor thought FOL
complaining at their own barrenness OF
praise; for they are too busy giving il
out and acknowledging every day theil
Indebtedness TO the rest of humanity
for paths of pleasantness and ways o.
peace.
No injustice is reaching you ola KIND
that is uncommon TO the rest of hu
mauity. No intentional disregard OF
your work exist in the hearts Of those
whose opinions are at all worth having
The world Is too busy with unnumber-
ed workers 20 take much note of any
one who is doing just the thing hi
ought 20 do i'm the place where he D.
put. ln fact. the worlds tendency il
to fluid fault with you when you leave
undone those things you ought TO do
rather than to give you any praise a
all for the task well done, IL all wh'
stroye recognized this truth, Their
would bee fewer breaking hearts oowe'
over the worlds tasks, and more llite'
heads of thankfuluess at even benz
permitted 20 stretch out the hand L
touch the sacred ark OF the covenant O
labor which is set between this WORK.
as 10 was created and mau who has &
transform it 20 the higher purposes @
"a constantly aspiring humanity. Ih
only man with rights ia the world
the one who finds something to do ant
does ii for whether be knows II or mol
he is real active and necessary part
cipant in Che whole of the worlds work
aud therefore as great iu doing his on
duty well az the one with greater iacuI
ties and therefore greater responsI
bilitie-. Let us smile at our wori
Blue days must be hidden. Cheerti
lifting aud pulling brings more assi'
lance toour elbow than does fretlin
and Tuning against the injustice OF th
world. They who get smiles are the
who give them, and il is the sum
workers iu all tine world who form th
most forward group of those who eve
toll for it, betferment.