The Washington herald., 1911-07-23
THE KEYBOARD OF
THE HUMAN MIND
Something About Mental
Five-finger Exercises
LAND THE PART THEY PLAY
Every Thought and Every Word You
of the Mental keyboard Which
May Bring Forth Beautiful Har-
mony or Discordant Sounds.
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.


If you were to set about the study Of
music you would begin with the prac-
tice of finger exercises and scales.
Your first important idea would be to
obtain correct methods.
You would watch your teacher and lis
ten to the principles which govern good
music, and all the time you gave to your
; practice would be based on those prin-
ciples.
1t would never seem right to you, when
listening to some amateur, or some one
who played badly. out Of time and tune
to sit down and initiate the faults of the
performer.
You would know that such a use Of
time was a waste and that your own
progress must suffer from the senseless
proceeding
Precisely the same result follows in our
characters when we waste thought and
speech in talking about the faults Of
others.
Every thought and every word you use
during the day is a touch of the mental
keyboard. which may bring forth beauti-
full harmonies or discordant sounds. Your
character is being shaped by your use
or this mental keyboard, and your in
huence is teirg felt wherever you go. No
matter IL you sit silent in a room, yet
those who are in your presence feel to
lesser or greater degree just what is the
nature of the music you practice on your
mental keyboard.
So Much Time Wasted.
observer will be particularly sensitive
10 your characteristics: and the more
commonplace minds will merely be aware
that you are attractive or repulsive:
agreeable or disagreable
Every moment you give, therefore, to
discussing and describing and deploring
the faults and sins and shortcomings of
others is just exactly so much effort ex-
pended by you in making yourself a dis
cord in the universal harmony which is
needed on earth.
And it Is just so much time and vital
power lost. which might be used by you
in bringing perfection and prosperity
and success into your life.
1t is, of course, impossible to ignore
the faults and failings of every one with
whom we come in contact.
We must be annoyed ofttimes and
panied. We must sometimes be disgust
ed, and even angry. as Christ Himself
became angry. which proved the fact
of His human nature albeit He was One
with the Father
Like Attracts Like.
But after we have expressed our
righteous Indignation, when the special
occasion demands il, let us put the mat
ter away from our minds and refuse to
dwell upon 1t in thought or to talk of it.
For in the continual thought OF un-
pleasant things we are shaping our lives
to invite other similar occurrences.
Like attracts like, and that Of which
you think and talk is sure to come to
YOU
Put the things you do not like away
from your mind as much as it is possible |
TO do. so!
Turn away from them mentally just as
you would turn away your eyes from |
ugliness and deformity.
When a fault forces itself upon your
attention replace 1t by a virtue When |
any one offends you by word or act strive |
10 think of the pleasant and admirable |
qualities which exist in other people Of |
your acquaintance, and send a mental |
wish to the offender to be like those who |
have pleased YOU
DO Not Talk of DisagreeabIe Things. |
1t becomes necessary at times to tell |
friend OF fault. Real friendship bears
the test. But, after the matter has been |
once discussed, drop 1t from your mind |
and think of the good and beautiful and |
sweet things in human nature
For only by training your thoughts to |
these keys Of the mind can you ever
produce good and beautiful and sweet |
harmonies in your own nature and happy |
results in your life.
Begin to-day and refuse to think or
talk of disagreeable things.
CCopyright. lslLI