The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-04-16
THE HABIT or WORRY,

4 fortitude which all must respect
while the very person who has
shown this heroism in afliction will
often be so troubled and nervous
over the small discomforts, disap-
pointments and annoyances Of daily
I life as to render him a torment TO
himself and source Of constant irri-
tation TO others, II is the easiest
thing in the world 10 criticisc and
condemn this habit Of worry in an
other and one Of the hardest things
to overcome ii in ones self II Is
largely a matter Of temperament
and nerves. Placid aud easy GO
ing people cannot understand the
painful friction that goes on with
in an excitable and mercurial ma
ture, and failing to make allowance
for different tendencies, they de-
nounce the poor victim in unmeas-
ured and, therefore, unjust terms.
at is only due TO lack Of self-eon-
troll they say; but they forget that
what to them costs no effort may to
another be well nigh impossible.
The habit of worry. however, al
though SO largely temperamental, is
not wholly beyond the power Of any
one TO moderate, and perhaps, finally
even to subdue. While self-control is
not TO be gained in an hour, or a day,
still less called up at will in an excita
Bile moment, it is, nevertheless, quite
possible to cultivate it patiently and
constantly, as a gardener watches and
nourishes the growth or a valuable
tree. Amy one who is conscious Of
this perpetual friction Of mind, and
viii give some reasonable considera
tion TO the sources from which il
springs, may to some measurable cy-
tent, at least, discourage and di-
minish it.
One way of doing this is to elimin
ate as far as possible, the immediate
occasions which call forth this mental
irritation. Often we are living toe
fast, attempting too much, straining
our powers, expecting impossibilities
from ourselves and from others, striy-
ing to keep pace with those who have
more means than we have, surround
ing ourselves with cares that are not
properly our own, courting pleasures
too complex or expensive, thus carry
ing needless burdens, which exhaust
and debilitate us. If life were made
more simple and sincere, if high think
ing were made possible by plain liv-
ing, if we studied to throw off what
was unnecessary and frutless, large
amount of our worries and frets
would be at an end.
Another means of avoiding them
is to cultivate a habit of decision. 1t
would astonish us to know how large
a proportion of our vexations and an
noyances proceed directly from an in
ability to deal promptly with the fire.
quent decisions we are called upon to
make. This is n natural product of
civilization. The more complex life
grows to be, the more problems it
gives us to solve, and the more we
learn to look at every side of sub
ject, the less sure we are of the true
solution. Mr.. Helps tells us:
"The great Won Humboldt went in
to the cottages of South American In
dians, and amongst an unwrinkled
people, could with difficulty discern
who was the father and who was the
son when he saw the family assem-
bled together These comfortable In
dians took misfortune, when it came,
without regret, without much looking
back, without much looking forward;
bearing it with the exemplary pa
tience of dumb animal 1t would,
perhaps, be not too much to say that
a man living in highly civilized
makes, at some expense
Of thought and suffering 400 deci-
sions whilst the savage makes One
While we none of us wish to ex-
change our full and fruitful life for
the bare and empty one of the
South American Indian, the fact en-
phasizcs our urgent need of the pow
ar of quick decision, a power only
secured by constant practice. Every
mind can gain in alterness by limit
ing the time for pondering Some
one said wisely that if he had but
three minutes In which TO rescue
life he would spend one in thinking
and two, in acting. Unfortunately
many people in deciding even the lit
lie things that come TO them spend
.wo, if not three, thirds Of the avail
,ble time in ruminating, in survey
ng the difficulties on every hand, in
and hesitating until it is ,
frequently too late, and the decision ,
s taken out Of their hands by the ,
apse Of time. Meanwhile, the fret
md worry which they suffer are u.s. /
lally out Of proportion to the impor-
ance of the decision itself. Far bet /;
er would il be to make many mis- {
axes and endure the results than TO +,
weaken the mind, cloud the judgment {
md produce useless misery by re- I
raining from the needed and final /
word.
This very necessary qualification 10 :
me which is seldom nourished in !
hildhood. Thinking that the child
Ias so little judgment, we decide
for him, and thus deprive