Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-18
The Little Things of Life,

! Iarticle by DR.. Frank Crane in tn
lWoman's World, and his text is: Fin,
your happiness in the simple thing
of life" We agree with him in tn
conclusion that underneath the hap
ipiness of every thoughtful person
must rest the profound belief in tn
goodness of God DIR. Crane says, o
the simple things of life: These ar,
with YOU always. They surround yot
every minute. To get the knaek
enjoying them is to lay the founda-
ton of all satisfaction.
| There is air. Did you ever turf
lyour mind upon it, and try to APP.
perciate it? When in the morning
you go from your close bedroom int,
Gods outdoor and draw grea
draughts of that sweet liquor int
your lungs. don't take it as a matter
of course, and go on worrying over
how good it is.
There is water. What infinite mo-
ments of pleasure it has given you
sparkling in the glass, or reviving youl
dusty throat, or splashing cool ane
| life giving upon your face! Think
how you have neglected the kisses OF
this simple lover of mankind
And how good are bread and butter
and milk and all the simple creatures
that rejoice the bodys natural wants.
And have you learned how to draw
pleasure from Natures beauty? There
lis joy for you wrapped up in every
flower, every tree, in the clouds OF
evening in the stars of night, in the
river and mountain. Practice finding
this kind of pleasure. Better learn t.
love Nature than learn to love cham,
payne or tobacco. :
When you have once got in the way
of tasting and liking lfe's simple
things you will discover that you have
found the truest culture. You win
be not a false but a real superior per-
SON." for you will have an inward
fountain of refreshment the world
knows not Of"
Keep away from the immoralities
The wisdom of mankind, after ages of
experiment. has settled it that those
things we call immoral embitter and
destroy life.
Don't make any experiments here.
You don't have to be bitten by rat
tlesnake to know that it will kill you
Take other peoples word for 1t.
II is not to be denied that there is a
certain pleasure in doing wrong. The
boy doubtless enjoys stealing apples
There is something enjoyable evil
IDENTIFY in lying, cheating, gambling,
swearing, and uneleanness, or people
would not keep doing such things.
But the trouble with those forms of
qualification is that they do not last.
and they destroy our capacity for en-
joying the things that do last.
As. Balzac says: These pleasures
are like certain drugs; to obtain con-
keep doubling the dose; which means
death or brutality"
do not speak here of the religious
side of the case. but appeal merely to
plain horse-sense. Only in the habit
of quietly and steadily choosing the
right, decent and good is abiding con-
tent possible for any son or daughter
of man. If you think otherwise, I
will not call you a sinner; you are
worse; YOU are a fool.
1t ought to be borne in mind, too
that happiness, like most other human
affairs, is very much a matter of
habit.
Complain, fret and stew, go into the
dumps and brood, when things go
against you, and the habit will grow
upon you.
On the other hand. deliberately re-
sist the impulse to look on the dark
side of matters, and you will find that
the disposition of cheerfulness be-
comes stronger every day.
Really have you not. known people
that have so gotten into the rut of
whining that even when they come to
sunny spot in life they had forgot
ten how to enjoy it?
But perhaps the most deep-Iying
thought for us to master, If we would
be happy, is our thought of the Uni
Vrse itself, or of God
The question now is not whether
iyou are religious or not nor what
Ichureh YOU belong to, but simply what
KIND of person or force do you think
IT is that is controlling the world?
Whatever your God, the cardinal
point to believe about Him is that He
is not angry at the natural human
joys nor wants YOU to tremble as you
lsit at life's feast"
His universe is set for joy. The
squirrel in the forest. the fish in the
sea, the insect and the bird in the
summer sunshine, the kitten by your
lhearthstone, and the friendly dog who
companies your walk. all are normally
happy; life tastes good to them. And
it must be that He who made them
land you is displeased when you take
the simple pleasures which He has en-
dowed you with the capacity to enjoy