Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-25
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jRME EALKS
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The Graduate and the Creative Life

TlHE graduate IS stepping forth into a new life She is taking her
place now in the army of those who must bear the burden and heat
OF the day. The season of preparation is over The season OF rest
49, IRON labor is still far distant. Upon Ter and others like her depend
now the trend of the times. Those who have been working will, IN by
one, drop out; and she and her fellows must take up the duties and
responsibilities these predecessors drop.
Naturally, the graduate wants % live as happy a life as possible To
her, success and happiness are n The years may prove her ron in
this. But her choice low is undoubtedly happiness.
So, a she steps forward into her place in the world, with her heart
glowing with nigh Ideals, n with tn normal craving of her spirit for
happiness, what sorto of life shall she choose to insure happiness?
This is n of the questions that the human heart has asked from the
beginning of time. And n o one, absolute answer has yet been given to IT.
Each must answer for himself. working out the solution to the best of his
ability from the data at hand.
But one ure contributing cause there is, that will make both fol-
happiness and for usefulness in life. And that is, to live creauvely and
not acceptingly. The human mind and heart are 81 constituted that to
create|a picture, a poem, a book, a table, a dress-the satisfaction is in
the creating, in the doing of some work we delight in To create some
thing that is the expression of ourselves, that shows forth some phase of
our individuality causes is JOY. What e create is the matter If individual
temperament One will find absorption and satisfaction in a poem, another
In a piece of tapestry. Whatever it is, it is not the thing itself that we
most rejoice in, but the act of making it. Perhaps this is because we are
mad in the image n Hkene of the great Creator, and the ability to
create is u brthright. But whatever the cause the creative life is the
happy life.
Therefore the girl graduate, who is bordering the important subject
is 10 now she sinai NIL her years. should think of this. If she wants the
truest happiness, she should not let herself become a n accepting creature
She should not be content to lie. father or husband or society pour favors
and uXuHes upon her, without making some return. She should not
because she may be in a position for them to come her way. when she has
done nothing whatever to merit them. If she does, life n a short time
will have little relish for her. She may enjoy the novelty of this sort of
for a brief while. But in time, it Will pail. Or If it doesn't, 1t will
NEAR that she has developed into a selfish, parasitic creature hs
become tnsensible to the finest things Of life.
And one "a live creatyet, NJ matter what line of work one may
take up. One can create a home as truly as a picture. A dress or n hat
is a creation,-and not in the present affected sense,-as is a poem; for
artistic ability and careful thorough workmanship are as necessary to the
creation of a dress OF hat as t" the making of a book o the carving of a
piece of furniture. And if u clothes were made in this spirit, we wou1d
So here is a very large factor in the making If a happy life. for the
creative life has in it a suree element of happiness.