The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-06-14

about the power acquired through re-
pose, the value Of absolute relaxation
and the desirability Of letting go of
ones self. Undoubtedly there is truth
in the contention that an overwrought
mind and body ought to release the
tension before something breaks, but
let 1t not be forgotten that If power be
acquired through repose, growth comes
through wiggle. Observe the baby, be-
fore 1t can walk, stand or sit. What
does it do? 1t wlggles. Body, arms,
fingers, legs, toes. The baby bird does
the same. If you will look closely at
the nesting stretching its neck for
food its parent brings, you will OBJ
serve that not only the head and neck,
but the incipient wings and the little
legs aud claws are all working vigor-
ously. In both baby and bird, wiggle
means growth and soon the one can
walk and the other can fly. But as
soon as the child learns to walk, he
doesn't walk; he runs. The run Is
the natural gait of the child. He finds
it difficult to go more slowly. Even
when he stands or sits, he isn't stand
ing or sitting. He is wiggling. His
arms sway, his legs swing and his
body writhes into many positions. Par
ents ask, why can't that child be
still single mlnutep But the child
Is growing and wiggle means growth.
Roughly speaking, child more than
doubles its weight the first year, and
more than doubles it again in the next
two. 1t would make us grown-ups wig
gle some to do that, wouldn't it? As
the child grows older, 1t gains repose
slowly, but grows less, and when full
growth is attained, wlggling largely
ceases. The same phenomenon holds
true of the mind. The first few months
the mind is inactive and grows slow
ly. But as soon as 1t gains control of
It's tools, when 1t has learned to dis
tingulsh sounds, to focus It's eyes, to
use its hands to grasp objects and Its
feet to carry 1t to them, and it's tongue
to Inquire about them, how the mind
wiggles! 1t flashes from one subject
to another, It's inquiry Is constant and
endless and its hold upon information
tenacious You and can sit down and
look at whatever Is In view and feel
no particular curiosity. Not SO the
child. 1t must know about this, that
and the other thing which 1t sees, and
though Its questions seem simple, they
are astonishingly searching. whats
that, mamma?" asked 3-year-old. "a
vault" What's In lt?" Dead folks. y
Quick as flash the little mind leaped
at the deduction. "Oh, Is 1t Heaven p
In the space of couple of years
the baby mind acquires practical con.
troll of difficult language, learns the
uses and relations of thousands OF
strange objects, and most remarkable
of all, learns how to handle the people
of his world and to match his tiny
strength and intelligence against their
years of study and experience. Com
paratlvely speaking, he rarely makes
mistake and still more rarely re-
peats one. Suppose your self trans
ported to strange planet, could you
do as we'll In so short a time? You
might, If your mind had enough wig
gle But has 1t, On the other hand,
observe how perfectly child sleeps.
Its position Is one of ease and aban-
don, 1t breathes all the way down, and
you can pick it up and lay it down and
scarcely disturb 1t. The lesson seems
to be that when you repose, you should
repose, but when you are awake, you
should wiggle! Whatever your aim In
life, wiggle, for wiggle is growth.