Alaska sentinel., 1908-02-13


 about the power acquired through re- pose. the value of absolute relaxation and the deslrability 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? It wiggles. Body, arms, fingers, legs. toes. The baby bird does the same. If you will look closely at the nestling stretching its neck for food its parent brings, you will ob- serve that not only the head and neck, but the incipient wings and the little legs and 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 minute?' But the child Is growing, and wiggle means growth. Roughly speaking child more than doubles its weight the first year, and more than doubles 1t again in the next two. It 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, wiggling 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 it gains control of its tools, when 1t has learned to dis tinguish sounds, to focus It's eyes, to use its hands to grasp objects and its feet to carry 1t to them, and Its tongue to Inquire about them, how the mind wiggles. It flashes from one subject to another, its Inquiry is constant and endless and Its hold upon information tenacious. You and I can sit down and look at whatever Is in view and feel no particular curiosity. Not so the child. It must know about this, that and the other thing which 1t sees, and though it's questions seem simple, they are astonishingly searching. Whats that, mamma?' asked 3-year-old. "A vault" What's in it?" Dead folks" Quick as a flash the little mind leaped at the deduction. "Oh, Is 1t Heaven?" In the space of couple of years, the baby mind acquires practical con trol 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. Con- paratively speaking. he rarely makes mistake and still more rarely re- peats one. Suppose your self trans ported to a strange planet, could you do as well in so short 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 1t 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 ip life, wiggle, for wiggle Is growth