The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-04
= WHY TAKE LIFE so SERIOUSLY, ANYWAY. .
q By 0rison SWEET Marden in Success Magazine -

fectivc, botched work, inferior pro-
duets, because men do not keep them
selves in a vigorous, healthy condi-
ton. They do not play enough, ID
not have sufficient exercise in the
open air; they do not have that re-
creation that rcfrcshcns, rencws, and
strengthens both mind and muscle.
They take life too seriously.
When you have plenty Of fun You
work with more vigor, aud with great.
er cnthusiasm; you begin your day
in better spirits, arc more hopeful,
and YOU leave your work at night
happy, and in more contcntcd
frame of mind Many men work their
employees so many hours, and so
hard, that they do not keep fresh,
buoyant, 'and ent husiastic.
Where did the idea come from
that we should take life so seriously,
anyway9 Why should a nan be such
slave to his bread-winning7 There
is certainly something wrong in the
very idea Of sacrificing the juices Of
our lives for the husks which we
get.
Remember that there is something
else in the world just as important as
making money, and little more so.
Your health, your family, your friend
ships should mean thousand times
more to YOU than dollar-ahasing.
Life was given us for enjoyment,
not for one long, strenuous, straining
struggle spent i'll the drcary drudgcry
Of scraping dollars together. Living
getting was intended to be only a
mere incidental in the larger life Of
growth, Of freedom, of soul cxpan-
| sion, mind-cnlargcmcnt.
Men could get fun out Of their busi-
ness if they only knew how, and by
taking the drudgcry ont Of it they
would not only be happier, 1ut they
would also be more prosperous.
| A great many men fail because they
are too serious; because they develop
unsocial, morosc, cold qualities which
rcpel, and which make them poor
mixers. tt is the sunshiny, happy
nature which attracts friends ami
trade The too-scrious people seem
to say, "kcep away from me, life IS
too serious a matter to be spent on
trivial things.' They arc dry, and
rutty. because there Is not CROUCH
play in their lives to furnish the nee
essary fabrication, variety, cr change
It is well known that many be-
c'nc insane because t''cy :,av. not
had enough play in their lives.
Some .or'e think it L unidentified
to give full vent to their fun-loving
instinct. They think the, must be
| thcnGht ful, sober minded, very digni-
fir?. if they would carry any light
in the world, and not be regarded as
| li"ht-hcaded and frivolous. We have
all seen people who go about with
their finger on their lips, figurative-
ly speaking, as though they facred
they might laugh out loud or say
I something funny. "Away with these
fellows who 60 bowling through
lifc,' wrote Bccchcr, "and all the
while passing for birds Of paradise.
He that can not laugh and be gay
should look to himself He should
fast and pray until his face breaks
forth into light.'
There is too little sentiment in this
! country; almost everything is reduc-
| ed to Il commercial basis, and has ref
crencc to the dollar. Our American
life has become so strenuous. time so
valuable. that even DR.. Edward Ever
cit Hale, chaplain Of the United Sta
tcs senate is only allowed one minute
for prayer i'll the senate chamber, ex-
ccpting on some extraordinary oc-
casion!
[ have heard travellers say that
when in the United States, they feel
depressed, because of the sad, serious
expressions on the American faces.
They say we arc prcmaturcly old,
hat we take things too seriously, that
we seem to think life was intended to
DC HPehl only IN pursuing with trc-
mendons energy some occupation or
profession.
The average American gives a for
elgncr the imprcssionn that he is in
hat he is in the act Of rolling a huge
stone up Il steep hill; that while he
may smile for moment now and
then, he does not dare to stop and
rest and have a little fun lest the