The Washington herald., 1907-12-05
THE OPTIMIST.

There are a world Of people who seem
TO think that living is one OF the simplest
Of businesses; who take IL all for granted
and seem content to imagine that what
is is for the best This is perhaps be-
cause they give no thought to the mat
ter: let it 90 by careiessly; dismiss it
with Indifference as thing they can
neither help nor hinder. II ii were
question OF buying stocks and bonds they
could give their minds and hearts 10 il;
or II it We're but the writing Of book,
the painting Of a picture. they would
look al the subject this side aud that. and
hesitate long before they put pen 10
paper or brush to easel But life has
come without exertion; # will pass away
without our leave, and sO-say these in
different ones-let US accept It as it is.
To my mind there is only one thing
certain about this life Of ours and that
is that II Is not 90 be lived for our own
pleasure and contentment The instinct
within Us all is 10 do something, express
something, be something, Even as chill
dren we find cur greatest pleasure, in
st!netively. either in tearing down things
or building them up. Wise fathers may
even tell whether their young hopefuls
viii be better fitted for the trade Of critic
or creator by their very choice Of toys.
The boy that is fond Of tools. or building
blocks. or a gaudy tin bucket and a toy
shovel gives some indications OF a bent
OF mind. just as surely as the lad who
loves TO knock the blocks down or 10 set
up long rows Of lead soldiers for the
inestimable privilege Of bowling them
over with a toy cannon
Sometimes indeed. We are in too much
OF hurry TO get something definite out
OF life-as II that were possible, For
fear We shall miss something We 90 hur-
rying here and there over the face Of tie
earth, restless. dissatisfied, searching for
the unknown and the unattainable. As
Stevenson says:
We are in such haste To he doing. 10 be writing.
20 be gathering gear. 20 make our voice audible a
moment in the derisve silence of eternity that
forget that one thing Of which these are but parts
namely. 10 live.
Why all this toll Tor triumnhs Of an hours
What Tho We wade in wealth. or soar ia faIneg
Earths highest station ends in Here he lies
And dust 20 dust concludes her nouiest song
All this is not 10 say that striving is
useless endeaVor Of no account Rather
the lesson of this thought is that We can
never know whether the end for which
We strive is good or not. whether the
goal 20 which We tend is worthy, worth
attaining. IT, therefore. We set ourselves
mara-fame. love. wealth-what you
viii. a certain measure Of disapp ppointment
is inevitable
Lle-vhat is Hies but the immediate breath we
draw.
Nor have We surety for a second gale.
A tIah and fcEle tenement Il is
Which like rhe hE-ttle glass which measures tiue.
is broke eie half its sands are run
one might think that some thousands
Of years OF human experience had taught
Us how % live. SO that at the end We
might know whether philosophy had
guided Us Alright or whether We had lived.
Ike sheep or goats
That noursh blind Life within tie brain
But the experience OF ages counts for
mighty little when applied To our indi-
Vidual cases No man can live nv life.
use my abilities. attain my desires. We
an have different goals. for ourselves We
pick out different roads. and not one Of
Us knows whittier ne are going. Do We
want fame or riches OF learning-these
things arc within our powers. price we
have % pay for them. and if We acquire
them We have 10 ask ourselves whether
We are making good bargain or not.
Let Us, at least. be honest with our
selves. and realize that while We do our
work in the world. and are glad 10 do il.
the main business Of life is life itself. and
that ii viii take all OF our eudeavor. an
II our strength. all the instinct of good
that is within us 10 live IL deceutly and
CpriShtly and so that our example shall
not be a stumbling block 20 our neigh
bOrs.
Strange. IS IL not that n the myriaas who
Before Us passed rhe doors ~ dalkness through.
Not one returns Co tell us ~ tie read
Which, % discover We must travel too.
And that is one thing that life means
whatever our work, whatever our. condf-
tion. whatever our hOpes-that when those
portals OF darkness swing open for us at
last Ne shall be able with sprIngy step
and eager heart 20 march boldly into the
unknown.