The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-06-15
When Life is Good to Us.

It would seem that a man can
hope for no richer earthly reward
than to be able to look back upon
his life and say with grateful
heart that life has been good to
him. The great trouble with most
of US is, however, that we rarely
appreciate our blessing when they
can be Of most use to US, and be-
cause Of this fact we do not read
lily recognize how very good life is
to US while it is good; in other
words, we are inclined to take
things too much for granted par
ticularly if we are fortunate
enough to enjoy long periods OF
prosperity and rich fulfilment.
We do not appreciate our good
fortune simply because we do not
know what real misfortune is. We
may imagine trials that really do
not exist and complain of our
hardships but it is not until we are
forced to walk through the dark
valley by ourselves upon our own
responsibility, alone and unable
to reach assistance, that we real
ize something of our past happi-
ness. For one thing We do not,
as a rule, believe that we have
made a success of life unless we
can show that we have lived great
things, that prosperity and
achievement are ours by virtue Of
our own unaided efforts, that we
have made place for ourselves
and written our names on the
worlds honor roll through our per-
sonal merit. Such success is good
to achieve, beyond doubt, but
there are other things in life be-
sides personal success that are
really worth while, and perhaps
one of the best Of these is the real
ization that we have helped others
to results. that we could not our
selves achieve. In other words,
to know that We have through our
normal, everyday personalitiesin-
spired someone close to US to live
the great things that we have not
been able to live.
There are few lives that are not
closely interlaced with other lives
not only with the ties of family love
and close affection, but those OF
friendship and comradeship. 1t
is because Of these ties that we
are able to reach our higher de-
velOpment, as it is through them
that we are taken out of ourselves
as it were, and out Of our ordinary
course Of life and brought into
new and encouraging conditions
Unconsoiously we learn from oul
associates many things of which
we were hitherto unaware, anC
sometimes We learn to see with
their eyes and hear with their ear;
and are thereby directly benefit
ted. In turn, we too, give to then
something that they have not be
fore possessed, and in way WI
work together for our common
good. Friendship constitutes il
reality a big exchange, and tn
true and lasting friendship is tina
which gives as much as it receives
We are often brought into clos
touch at many places with tn
inner lives of men and wome
whose friendship in this Wa
means a great deal to US. W
drink from the deep fountains c
their lives and are refreshed bot
spiritually and materially, and
we care enough about them an
appreciate their influence upon U
it is something to feel that W
have helped, if in only a sma
way, to their greater development
Many things are granted otheI
which are denied us for good rea
son, and much Of the good tn
comes into our lives does not ar
pear to benefit Us materially at tt
time. The developments of lat
years, however, often show tn
life is good to US through proc
ess Of reflection, as it were, whe
We share in some measure in tt
good fortune Of those whose il
terests are closely allied to ours
We al! hope to do great thins
when We start out in life. 1t ;
seems so easy then, and so desi
able, and SO entirely possible, b
after while we learn to give l
earthly dreams and to try to ada
them in more practical way
the conditions which make up e
istence 70: US. An earnest attem
to this end often opens new feel
Of endeavor and to our surpri
we find that there are many bet
aims and ambitions than those
have been forced to relinquis
and not the least of these is
privilege Of giving something
ourselves to the cause in viii
others work. Life can be good
us in many ways, but until
first flush ofyouth passes and W
it the engrossing thought of Sc
we are not in position to apr
ciate the possibilities that are gu
1t is something to gain the ate
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