The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-22
THE OPTIMIST.


Those OF US who have 10 stay behind
in the heated city, while our friends,
those whom we love and whose eompan-
ionship cheers us and inspires US, 90
away On their vacations 10 the sea or TO
the mountains. need all the help that we
may derive from optimism. OF course
there are none Of US so selfish but we are
glad to have our more fortunate friends
go. but. still, we cannot but realize that
They who 90
Feel not the pain Of parting: it IS they
Who stay behind that suffer.
It IS hard. indeed. for those who remain
behind to take a philosophic view of the
matter. The one thing that win help
Us. Of course, IS the thought Of the Joy
that is being won by the absent ones;
the health they are gaining; the deep,
that they are quaffing, That is the pure
ly unselhsh and loving view OF the mat
/ ter. And then, too. may we not realize
/ that parting is sometimes a good thing
/ for those who stay as well as for those
who go? AS Shakespeare tells us-and
his philosophizing on life is often so help
/ full
II so falls ont
That what we have We rrize not 10 the worth
Whites we enjoy It: bat being lacked and lost,
/ Why, then We rack the yalpe-
And if we can come 10 realize that there
is truth in this, II may be profitable for US
10 use the time of absence OF our friends
to reckon up just what they mean to US;
how large a part they occupy OF our
I lives; how they affect us, whether for
good or Ill; whether we have come. per-
haps, 10 lean too much on their advice
and counsel. We may appreciate, then,
how fully they are a part Of US.
Parting. even il it be only for little
space. IS always one Of the saddest
things IN life. foreshadowing. as it does
the day that IS coming TO all OF Us when
the last, long parting shall come. 1t is
/ not well, indeed, to draw the parting out
I though weak humanity is prone TO hug
its sorrOws 10 its breast and 'fnd a rapt
delight in flooding tears" 1t is better
and more noble 10 remember the cry:
WHAT Gone without a vcrdl
/ As. SO true love should do; st cannot speak;
For truth hath better deeds than words, 20 grace Il
The opposite extreme is that expressed
by the friend in Henry VI:
III depart from thee cannot live;
And Ia thy sight 70 die. vhst were il else
But ike a pleasant slmnber in thy lapi
It may not always be a carefully formu-
lated thought, but the thought IS there al
parting, that many things may chance
before friends meet again. Optimists
though we be, who dares TO count II
sure that when he says Good night. and
God be with your he may greet hi;
friend againg That is what lends absence
its s0lemnity.
To know, 70 esteem. to lore-and then to part
Make up LIES tale % many feeling heart
But back OF il all there IS the finely
hopeful thought Of reunion. Vacation
days cannot last forever. and soon Tho
faces that We love so well. the voice.
that ring with such music IN our ears
the hand clasps that lent US so much
strength. shall be ours again.
The JOYS Of meeting paw the panss Of absence;
Else who could bear IL?
The meeting time will come again. b,
sure of il, And in the days or hours that
intervene II is ours TO do our work, 4
live our lives nObly and clearly and
fairly. so that We may be III for the JOY
that is due US when our friends come
back:
Then shan We give them welcome;
Then or hearts stir true shall beat with theirs;
Our tears q soy shall mate with their moist eyes
And Fe. thank God. We have them back again.