The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-05-04
Choosing CIR Hopes.

our eOul-reSt, as it were. 1t may
be that the soul never really tires
bat Of that we can never be quite
sure. All that we do know is that
there are times when from sheer
WEAKNESS Of spirit We lose our in
tercst in many things that once
meant much 10 US, and in cOnse-
quencc become discouraged and
blind to the real lesson of life.
Because Of disappointment, Or
discouragcme Or lack Of OppOr-
tunity we miss he better things,
the real things, the true things
which make ~ the SOULS nourish-
ment, and naturally, when We have
no spiritual food from which to
gain strength to face unhappy
conditions We lose hope easily and
begin to say that we are tired of
it all, that we would like to give
up and that nothing seems worth
while. Perhaps We have pinned
our faith TO the perishable inter-
ests o. life; it may be that we have
permitted ourselves to attach too
much Importance TO the demands
of the world, and when the reck-
oning comes, as it comes to all,
and the glam0r has faded away
we find ourselves bereft, as we
believe. Of all that makes living
worthwhile. We confuse our
hopes sometimes and choose those
that are going rather than those
that are coming. We do not look
deeply into their nature, and be-
cause they seem to promise some
relief from the present we seize
them aud get from them often
times only temporary rewards.
We build upon them for the future
only to find that they offer moth
ing more than the rewards Of the
present. We do not understand
that their glow is from the twilight
not from the dawn. The light
seems to our disordered vision to
be the same, but there is a world
of differenceif We only knew. The
end Of the day suggests its death :
the beginning tells Of life and in
much the same way many hopes
to which We cling afford only dis
appointment while others promise
joy. 1t is for US to make our choice
and unless we are able to differ
entiate between the real blessings
OF lie and its perishable joys We
are always likely to make that viii
invite only unhaQpiness.
It is because We are not able t.
DO this at will, because the gift O
wisdom is not always ours, tina
we confuse our opportunities ane
choose those that inevitably weat
Us oat, body and soul, and leave
only pain and disappointment il
their trail. Unless we have some
thing to replace them with, somt
interest which will keep US from
encouragement, some high hop
that will comfort and cheer, W
shall, indeed, feel that we hav
come 10 the end Of our resource
and that there is nothing for US i
the future. It is then that th0s
Of as who have been able, in spit
Of our mistakes to recognize some
thing Of the need of the quie
places in life, turn to the little GU
OF the way corners in which W
can seclude ourselves for a tim
and, dropping all material affairs
relax from the strenuous eXistenc
which life very probably means t
us. There are many who scott a
the mere idea Of drawing c0miOl
from any other source than a ply
sicat one, bot that is only becaus
they have uot been trained in tn
higher spiritual ways which ar
possible even t. those who are ab
sorbed with the more material sid
of life. 1t is difficult for som
persons to realize that it is possib
to retire from the harras5ing de
tails Of worldly affairs and find re
lief ever for q brief period in tn
sanctuarie5 Of their souls. The
natures may crave such refresh
ment but they do not recogniz
the signs inasmuch as they believ
that a wide gulf separates spiritu;
and worldly affairs, and sometime
it takes some great hardship {
some heroic sacrifice before the
are able to realize that there is
happy medium for the averae
person, and it is the average pei
son who really needs the soul
refreshment to help him over tt
rougher paths he must follow.
Our soul-rest, is like q sp;ritu
bath. 1t refreshes and invigorate
and we come forth ready to Sc
new hopes and new ambition
reckoning to US. 1t is then tn;
we must choose, perhaps for II
second time, our way and it is we
to remember always to study we
the light that floods our souls
such times. The twilight AFFORD
relief from the heat and turmoil
the day, but We cannot afford
choose our hopes by its dim ligh
Too often the radiance is but II
after glow Of our old, WORT
out hopes that promise at be
only temporary gladness. Rath'