The Washington herald., 1910-07-17
Don't Worry.


worry kills infinitely more people than
hard work. and there is nothing more use
less in this life than worry. II is. after
all, only a mental attitude which any
Of US can correct If we viii, Faith is.
perhaps. the best corrective; faith in the
ultimate deceney of things-that bound
ing and joyous faith thAt lets a man be-
Heve that so long as he does well his
at the end. Worry is a sort Of atheism.
that eorrodes the soul and binders US
from doing our best, from giving the
fullest expression OF ourselves in our
worn.
The man who worries is a bit OF a
coward: he breads the future regrets
the past. and is a rebel against the pres
ent. such a man f0rgets that the spirit
of man is divine. He ignores the fact
that he is put on earth in furtheranee of
the plans OF the Master of which ne is
an integral part. AS Emerson wrote:
Our life might be easier and simpler
happier place than il is; there is no need
of struggles, commissions. and despaiTs:
we miscTeate our own evils. We interfere
with the optimism of nature. for when
ever We get this vantage ground OF the
past, or Of a wiser mind in the present,
we are able to discern that we are begirt
with spiritual laws which beget them
selves
One reason for worry is that most Of
US are given too much 10 considering our
selves, our own lives. our own petty af-
fairs too curiously. In our boundless ego
tism-whether we are honest enough to
confess it TO ourselves or motive seem
to think that the whole universe, all that
is should be bent toward our success.
our Individual happiness and content
ment. We are afraid to listen to the
Pipes Of Pan, as Stevenson phrased it:
ITO reckon dangers too euriously. to
hearken TOO intently for the threat that
runs through all the winning music of
the world, TO hold back the hand from
the rose because of the thorn. and from
1ife because OF death; this il is 10 be afraid
of Pan. Highly respectable citizens who
nee ire treasures ana res p0nSlDllIleA
and keep, with upright hat. upon the
midway of custom, avoiding the right
hand and the left. the ecstasies and the
agonies. how surprised they would be if
they could hear their attitude mytho-
logically expressed. and knew themselves
as tooth-chattering ones, who flee from
Nature because they fear the hand Of
Natures God"
In our egotistic worries about ourselves
we grow accustomed 10 expecting too
mueh-we. who deserve so llttlel Take
the happiest of men, the man who calls
himself happy and is so. and you shall
yet find that he has his moments Of
sadness every day; for each day of life
has its own great GRIEF or little care.
AS we pass through life we may reckon,
almost surely, that there shall be scarce
one perfect day; one day that shah be
wholly joyous and sunny. But what OF
that? Life has TO be lived in spite of
all, and worry never was present at the
birth Of a happy smile.
OF ali vicious habits. worry is the one
to which man is addicted that grows upon
him most rapidly and, once acquired,
elings most tenaciously. It leads inevi-
tally to dependence. that most per
nicious foe 10 virtue and to happiness.
1t takes all the spirit out of a man. and
we cannot face the battle of life fear
lessly. As George sand wrote:
I'VE must not lose oouragei The loss
of money is but vexation: the loss Of
moral work and useless devotion are
troubles which must not be allowed to
worry US too much: there is but one use
fuI device: Onward onward
And so often worry is caused by try
iallties, not the real griefs Of life. To
escape these 1t is only necessary that
we should not allow cur minds to dwell
on the unpleasant things Of life. they are
destructive and sunhealthy. There are
enough real distresses and evils in wait
for every one OF US; enough 10 test our
souls and to try our courage 10 its ut
most Do not allow grief TO be the diet
Of the mind; cast away gloomy thoughts
and determine in your soul, no matter
haw dark and dreary the present prospect
seems, to look forward hopefully to the
future. Remember. always. that nothing
can happen in this world that is not for
the good, though. as it hurts. perhaps.
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