The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-05-22
PAST LIFE'S MERIDIAN

Fifty years old! Words full of sug-
gestion even to one who meets them
casually, still more to one who views
them In the light of actual experience.
Before passing the fiftieth milestone
you may say to yourself with some
confidence, Il am still young" once
beyond that point the solemn thought
comes home, Il can never call my
self, nor can others call me young
again. The clock Of life has struck
twelve, the sun has stood a moment
at the zenith, then begun to slope
toward its setting. 1t is life's after
noon.
Past the meridian of life! 1t is a
good time to take ones bearings now.
What has the past life meant? What
possibilities has the future in store?
There are probably but few who
can contemplate the past without
some misgivings. Faults, mistakes,
toll!es, sins OF omission and of COM
mission, opportunities neglected, high
Ideals unrealized-such is the record
of lives the world calls honorable and
respectable. All these lie in the
realm OF what Robertson of Brighton
called The Irreparable Past. Com
panions once known and loved have
passed into the silent land and their
going gives poignancy to the unayall-
ing regret for what one las done, or
failed to do.
But the past is irreparable and it
Is useless to brood over its bad
record. Nor need we spend long
time in the much more profitable
contemplation Of the joys the past
has brought, the pleasant memories
OF friends and the providential mer-
cies that have marked our way. 1t
should be possible from the survey TO
win a spirit of grateful cneer and
hopeful courage.
So there lies yet aheaG OF us what
Robertson calls The Yet Available
Future. What equipment may be
counted on for meeting that future?
While quite likely not as great as
at th!rty-hye, the physical strength
ought not TO be seriously impaired.
In many kinds OF work It is quite
possible TO do as much as in ones
prime. For in all the past years the
judgment ought to be maturing and
adding to ones ability to handle
each task TO the best advantage. In
deed 1t is not at all incredible that
many mem past fifty working at a
handicrabt should 'turn off, more
and better work than ever before.
If the labor is largely mental this
ought certainly to be the case. Many
persons are not at their best mentally
before they are fifty years old. One
who Is at all in touch with the life
d. the present need not grow old men
tally till long after that time. The
heat Of the day comes in the after
noon and the fullness OF mental power
should not come till after the hftieth
milestone is passed. Indeed, one is
tempted to say that in not a few
instances the powers OF vigorous
mind have been preserved well on
into the eighties. 1t is more worry
than downright work tnat wears out
and shortens human lives.
by nifty one should know something
of the calmer life of which Cato. the
Elder. tells, when the fires of youth
flrl passion are cooled but are not yet
wholly extinct. Love as a transport
and torment should give place to
che more eQuable warmth of friend
ship Husband and wire should am
derstand each other ana have the
grace TO be mentally helpful. instead
VI exasperating each other. The