The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-07-29
IMPORTANCE OF LITTLE THINGS.

w. H. SCANLAND.
IMPORTANCE OF LITTLE THINGS.
After ALL it is in the little things OF life
that we find our greatest happiness, not the
and one meaningless trifles that
make up so large part of existence but
the numerous interests of life that find ex-
preston in different ways. We may not
deem them of much importance at the
time, and perhaps we may even tire OF
them but as time marks its changes and the
years rpen into fulness and experience
teaches US strange and oftentimes hard
lessons, we begin to attach a new value to
many of the little things in life and to read
their true meaning. We soon grow &C.
customed to certain conditions and because
they appeal to US and make up an import
ant part of life for us We gradually come to
believe that they are essential to our hap
piness and welfare and resent any change
ia them. 1t is pity that so many of US
fail to see the utter futiity of rebelling
against The DEGREES of God whatever their
nature. If we could only realize from the
outset that there are certain changes that
must necessarily come to all of us we would
be saved much unhappiness. The very
nature of life, its constantly varying phases
and their uncertainty of expression, should
make us prepared for these changes, yet
we seldom recognize this fact when we are
called upon to endure hard experience. 1t
is only after the strain is lessened, as it
were, and we are able to adapt ourdelves
in way to the new conditions that we
realize how very much old associations of
one kind and another meant to US. The
memory of a smile, or word, or loving
deed sometimes assumes larger signifi-
canoe to US than brilliant worldly success.
God meant that this should be so, otherwise
He would not give US the power of deriv-
ing comfort from the memories of sweet
associations.
In all relations of life happiness is made
up largely of small things. Nature itself
offers countless examples of their influence.
The song of bird, the hutter of its wings
across the blue, the hum of bees, the rustic
of leaves in the wind, the scent of flower,
strain of music-all these and many,
many other little" things give happiness
of certain kind which nothing else can
give. A word encouragement costs but
little, yet its good effects cannot be meas
ured; word of sympathy, too, may seem
but trifle, yet it falls soothingly upon q
wounded heart. We take these matters more
or less for granted at the time and are not
able to attribute to them their real value.
We do not realize how vital part they
play in our lives nor how largely our hap
piness depends upon them; yet were they
denied US and we were forced to go through
life wholly dependent upon our individual
strength and ability to meet our needs we
would feel their loss deeply and be in a
position to more correctly appreciate their
real worth. AS a rule we turn our minds
to the accomplishment of great objects in
life; we set high goal for ourselves and
bend all our energies to it's attainment, re-
fusing meanwhile to be satisfied with any
thing less than the fulflment of our hopes.
We sometimes even scorn the little things
of life, and lay our happiness upon the in
secure foundations of hopes to be attained,
regardless of the fact whether or not such
realization would be good for US. We do
not think that the lesser realization of life
are worthwhile and if we are not able to
attain the anticipated fulfilment of our
hopes we decline to be satisfied with the
bits of comfort that come our way. Yet
in after-years, even if we reach the height
Of our ambitions and are able to feel that
our most desired hopes have been realized
there are times when we find the most hap
pness and the greatest degree of comfort
in what the world regards as unimportant
matters.
There are some persons, of course, who
in the ordinary run of life occupy promi-
nent positions in the world and who are
concerned only with matters of large i'm
portance and wide interest. They seem to
live in the great spotlight of publicity, they
touch only the high places in life and they
know very little about the humber phases
OF existence. Yet, for all that, because oil
the very essence of their natures they are
able at times to derive far greater comfor
from the lesser interests of life, those in.
terests which are hidden in the shadows OF
which flourish only in our more intimate
associations. For all the prominence o.
such persons and their participation in thu
great activities of life they look in many
cases for their chief happiness in hesmalle
interests of their personal lives. 1t is tn,
little things that count in the long run ant
which really make, life worth living ant
worth enjoying. The bigger interests af
ford their measure of satisfaction natural
~, but it is not satisfaction that last
forever; it withers from day to day unit
there is nothing left and unless new inter
ests and new satisfactions compense 70
their loss the heart must turn naturally t
the inner springs Of existence for comfor
and refreshment.
The demand for free and unlimited spac
in the Banner from various organizations
associations, commissions, etc., Gall outsid
of Bessier Parish, and having no claims Of