The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-16
Nv THE OPTINiIST.


Ny Dear FellOw-opumists: One Of the
principal characteristics Of the true op-
timist is a firm belief in the gospel Of
work. He does not set about his daily
task with a sour face or complaining
words. He deems it a privilege and a
blessing that he is able 10 use his hands
and mis- brains for his own advancement
and the honor of contributing to the gen.
eral welfare
To the Optimist work is not one Of
ufe's burdens; it is one Of life's boons. a
precious gift. in our talk on Work %
many months ago we received some beau
tiful sentiments from the members of
this club on the subject of work. but not
one Of the whole number ever referred
TO work as a burden"
And the reason is that 10 work is 10 be
useful. and to be useful is one Of the
prime objects Of the dyed-in-the-wool OPP
timist
When / announced Bearing Burdens"
as the subject for to-day I referred to
optimism as means of looking al life
in the right way. II I worked out the
results of optimism by mathematics, the
problem would be something Ike this;
To the cares and burdens of life add op-
timism. Result: Looking at life in the
right way. And every one knows that If
you look at life in the right way you will
have no cares or burdens.
Cares and burdens are the irregularities
OF human existence. You may be going
along smoothly, working and playing al
ternately a contented aGG cage-lree
mortal Suddenly. without warning. you
are confronted with new conditions.
Sickness at home may develop, financial
worries. distress. and physical or mental
disability may come 10 you, or the trou-
bles of a near and dear friend may be
placed in your hands for adjustment
These things throw out the wel-oiled
machinery of the daily life. You must
give more or less attention TO them, to
the sacrifice Of the evenness Of the way
YOU have been going. II you are not an
optimist, you viii probably let these
things be your undoing, and You will
worry and fret and protest and be gen
orally uncomfortable.
Does this state Of affairs sound famil-
Tar? Do YOU think I am making it up?
It has happened 90 you, brother optirpist
and sister optimist: 1t has happened 20
me, and it is going to happen again and
again; but the point for optimists 10 re
member us that these irregularities OF
life can only be temporary. They can
have no bearing on the principles and
aims of the man who is trying to live up
10 the best there IS in him So it is per-
fectlv obvious that worry and fretting
VIII not help us 10 bear these burdens.
Be strong in your belief that 10 rise
above the small vexations Of life is the
only way 10 set accustomed 20 bearing
your burdens lightly Then when the
big troubles come you will find that your
shoulders are willing and accustomed to
burden-bearing and YOU are able TO lift
them with a light heart
It is extraordinary how many people Of
intelligence You viii find who allow their
burdens TO crush them, 50 that # is nee
essary for some one else to come along
and relieve them. It seems as if there
we're two classes Of people who go 10
make up humanity-thc people who have
to be helped and the people who help
others and themselves. too.
As the latter class is made up solely OF
optimists, you can easily see what "a gi-
gantic task the optimists u.s. II aaaso
shows that optimism is strength, for it
IS only the strong and the able who can
bear his own burdens and lend a hand
with his neighbor's besides.
Which class would you rather belong
10? VIII you occupy yourself so much
with groaning over the hardships and the
annOyances Of your own life that you
haven't time to think of anything else?
Or viii you think so much of helping
others that you haven't time to notice
your own burdens?
Every time you tighten the cares Of a
fellow-being you lift off one Of your own.
You cannot think of two things at once,
so the best way 70 bear your own bur
dens is to forget all about them in the
sweet JOY OF helping others.
You like TO believe that God helps
those who help themselves" and I am
sure you will believe, too, that He helps
those, indeed. who help others. Unself-
ishness enters largely into the bearing OF
burdens. Selfshness makes your own
bUrdnes seem heavier and gives no heed
to those Of your friend
The expressions this week on Burden
bearing" am sure you viii agree, are
unusually strong. and I am pleased "a
notice a good many new names among
the contributors. There is evidence all
along the line that optimism Is making
wonderful strides and is growing day by
day. I like TO think that the members
OF this club are aiding in this splendid
work. for it is a splendid work, and it viii
prove a monument TO each and every
one OF you.
ideals" IS the subject for next Sun
day I want 10 receive all the contribu-
lions by noon next Wednesday. For the
first prize In Bearing Burdens I Sc
lected the beautiful little poem of Opt
mist Lamborne, as follows:
II any little love of mine
May make a life the sweeter,
If any little care of mine
May make a friends the fieeter,
If any lift Of mine may ease
The burden Of another.
God give me love and care and strength
To help my toiiing brother.
MALCOLM d. LANlBORNE.
3ill Fourteenth street northwest
The second prize goes TO one OF our old
members but one who has not sent us a
contribution for some time. Miss Marion
G. Barker. of 1888 f street. This is her
contribution:
How many Of us as we pass along life
dusty highway ever stop 10 share the