The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-03-09
ANTICIPATION.

Few people realize how much benefit they
obtain from anticipation. Indeed, were it
not FORTS stimulating effect upon our minds
half of the joy of living would vanish be-
-AaAaa- b.. Locking forward into the future
ana trying -aal:---~,---rl-~---- L
ambitions before they actually come to US
we largely increase their happy effects.
The man who is unable to anticipate the
future in any way whatever, who sees no
reason in trying to taste his joys before
hand, who derives no satisfaction in build >
ing upon his hopes misses great deal OF
very wholesome pleasure. Common sense
tells him, so he argues, that it is unwise to
count upon anything in this life unless it is
actually in his grasp, but then most of US
get some very real joy at times in acting
contrary to the routine teaching of commor
sense. We do not mean by this, of course.
that it is ever best to ignore our better
Judgment but, even admitting the fact thai
anticipation is not always the part of wis
dom, there is no questioning the fact that
it is very delightful to be unwise in this
way at times. II we did not look forward
to what is to come with hearts full of hope
and expectancy how could we get through
with some If the harder days of life? II
we did not depend in so large a measure
upon our anticipations how could we hope
to overcome our discouragements? An5ic-
lpatlon Is in a way the twin sister of the
zest of life. Both qualities spring invol-
unfairly into life in our hearts and force US
to acknowledge that there is great deal
OF happiness waiting for US if we only take
the trouble to look for it. There are MANY
dark days when nothing seems worth while.
but that IS only because our hearts are
deadened for time and cannot respond to
any comforting Influence whatever, but a
little later on hope lifts its head once more
and gradually feeling of anticipation
works its way into our beings and we find
ourselves able to look forward again with
some degree Of interest to the future.
Perhaps one OF its greatest blessings is
its faculty Of keeping fresh our interest in
those things that affect US the most. We
ontgrow our pleasures and our pursuits with
The passing OF the years. Those things
that once gave Us pleasure as rule do not
always continue to do 50 in later life, and
even the interests Of our early maturity
fail in their effects at later period. How
ever, the one interest that we can count on
IT We will is the joy Of anticipation, the
right to look forward, as it were, into the
future and expect from it generous share
Of the blessings and pleasures we crave.
While it is rare thing, of course, to sat-
isfy all our ambitions, il not an impossible
lty, still we are able to derive some measure
of happiness from our mere hope of doing
so. Indeed, there are many persons who
refuse to acknowledge that they ever fail
in their realizations. They argue that some
realizations may be denied them for time
but they look confidently to the future for
a fulfilment of their hopes, and the fact
that these hopes alter their general form
with changing conditions often leads to
their eventual realization in better way
than at first anticipated. If we did not
have the joy of looking forward we could
not keep our hearts young, and so long as
the heart is young the adding years do not
count. They lose their sting, for many of
US find it bitter experience to say good
bye to youth, and prove blessing instead.
Indeed, it is perhapsi in ourlateryea thatwe
realize more keenly and with moro under