The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-10-01
THE OPTIMIST.

There are some who, deemlng that the
optimistic call is a call to duty high and
stern, twist and distort its meaning into
be no time in life for pleasure Why. to
the true optimist the fact Of each days
earnest living is the source OF the great
est pleasure, but we must always bear
in mind, ia seeking for pleasure for the
pleasures sake, that, as Mrs. Norton
wrote: God made all pleasures inno-
cent And even Byron, who sought In
many lands pleasure Of all kind. and
thought 10 find it in the lowest distrac-
tons of mind and body, came TO the con-
clusion that
Though sages may pour our their VISIONS treasure
There Is 10 Steiner morast than pleasure
The true pleasures of life, ! think, are
those which come to US without much
seeking. No one can expect 10 take his
hat and start out in the world saying:
Il am going on a hunt for pleasure" If
he does so, then is he most sure to meet
with pain, for
pleasures are Ike peoples spread
You seize the flower. its bloom is shed:
Oh Ike the snow falls IN the river
moment white then melts forever
Pleasure is a word whose two dehnl-
tons have a wide gulf between them.
The first definition Is The qualification
Of the senses or Of the mind: agreeable
sensations or emotions; the excitement,
relish, or happiness. produced by enjoy
ment or expectation Of good; opposed to
pain The second definition is; Sensual
qualification, diversion, sport, enjoyment"
Ii is against the pleasure Of the second
definition that the Optimist seeking 10
lead a happy life Will beware. And even
il we find our pleasure in only the real
things Of life, then we must realize that
Not even plsiasDIe % excess Is good;
What most slates. then sinks the soul as low;
When sprugtide Joy pours IN with cnpious food.
The higher still the eultng pillows flow.
The further back again they tagging 80.
And lfaYa US gr0fslins On the dream shore.
There is a pleasure TO which we are
not only entitled but for which your
true optimist will strive. it is the IN
selfish pleasure of knowing that one has
done his best-his best in charity. his
best IN kindness. his best in labor. But
We must always remember how little we
have 10 do with our own jOy-we can
from a power above and beyond US all.
AS Mrs. Humphrey Ward wrote once:
We must dare 10 be happy. and dare to
confess il. regarding ourselves always as
the depOsitaTies, not as the authors. of
our own joy SO, after a good gift,
after the pleasure Of recovery from grief;
after the consciousness OF work well
done, which IS. perhaps. the keenest and
the cleanest pleasure. we should Temem-
Der that little Of what has come 10 Us
has come from our own strength-and
We should seek 10 repay the gift, acknowl-
edge the debt 20 our fell0w-men.
Tennyson was pretty bitter when he
wrote Maud and yet there was a
world Of truth in his plant:
We are puppets. man in his pride ard beauty fair
in L5r A5Eer;
Do We move ourselves oT are moved by an IN
seen hand az 2 game
That pushes rs Of from the board and others ever
succzed5
Al, yet. We cannot be Kind TO each other here l5r
hour,
We whisper and siHt and chucds and grin at a
brothers shame
However We brave il ont We men are little breed.
True enough, but not well to acknowI-
edge. II We would seek pleasure. let us
put our ideals Of pleasure high Let US
seek the JOY Of striving 10 make all Of
mankind that We are directly respon-
I Sible fOT-ourselves-be and more
noble. Let Us not only believe in but
practice the law Of loving kindness and
gentleness and compassion. and the pleas
ure thus gained VIII leave no sting be-
hind.