The Washington herald., 1917-01-23
Facing Life the Right Way
By oRIsoN swETr MARDEN.

the important thing is not where you
stand, but the direction in which you
are moving.
1t is not your environment, not the
place from which you start nor how
far you have gone, but which way
you face that counts. Your mental
attitude, the spirit which you bring
to your life journey-this is the inn
portant thing.
The Bible tells us that daniel was
preferred by the King above the
presidents and princes, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the
king thought to set him over the
whole realm" Daniel was loaded
with favors and honors not only by
the great King Darius, but also by
Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, be-
cause from the time when he was
brought youth to the household of
Nebuchadnezzar, he always faced life
in the right way, toward truth, to-
ward justice and Righteousness.
How often do we see two youths
with equal ability and equal oppor-
tunity start out in life with the same
idea-in search of happiness and sue
cess. One faces toward righteous
ness and spends his energy in the
path of rectitude, of justice, worthy
career. He spends it not only in
working in his chosen calling, but in
helpful service to others, in uplift and
in everything that is good. The other
faces in the opposite direction and
expends his energies seeking happi-
ness in just the opposite way-in
dissipation. catering to his senses, his
passions, and in gambling with his
precious life assets. He uses the
same kind and the same amount of
energy, but because it is expended
in the wrong direction he is led to
the penitentiary. The right spirit is
not in him; and he has turned his
energy into negative, destructive ex-
preston, while the other youth turn
ed his into positive, constructive ex-
preston, both seeking the Same
thing, happiness. The difference in
results came from their facing in
different directions at the start.
1t is said that in battle soldiers are
often terrified for fear they should be
found shot with their backs toward
the foe. If they must die they want
to die facing in the right direction,
not away from but toward the bat
tleheld
There is nothing in this world quite
so important as facing the battlefield
of life in the right way. The per-
sistent, tenacious holding of the right
mental attitude, the attitude of cour-
age, the courage of a brave soldier
fighting in a righteous cause, the
courage which dares whateveR op-
poses it-public opinion, denuncia-
ton, criticism-this is the courage
that leads to victory. 1t is the man
who sets his face like a flint towards
his goal, towards what he believes to
be right, and refuses to swerve a
hairs breadth from his course though
paradise tempt him, that ultimately
wins out. 1t is the man who faces
life not only with a vigorous courage
but grim determination to win vic
tory at any cost that succeeds.
1t was said of man who had
passed through most painful expert
ences, frightful tribulations and af-
flictions for years, that when the end
came and he was obliged to give up,
he was still facing his goal. Never
once in the long years of trial and
frightful suffering had he lost heart
or turned back. Not once did he
faint by the wayside or give up, until
his strength was exhausted and he
was oblidge to quit the race. After
every failure he would call out his
remaining reserves and fight on jus,
as if nothing had happened, always
facing toward the goal.
What a magnificent spectacle is a
brave soul fighting to the last in a
righteous cause!
There is only one thing wrong in
the world, and that is our mental at
titude. We are misfts in the divine
plan, because we do not face life in
the right way-the victorious way
the triumphant way. Every human
being was intended to live the life
glorious, the life triumphant, the mas.
terful life. Life was intended to BE-
one grand, joyful procession, tri.
umphal march the entire length ot
Our life path, but most of us make
it horrid grind.
mot failure, but low aim is crime
The real crime is turning Our back or
our goal, facing life in the wrong di
rection. The only failure is in Civ