The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-10-16
Spread Your Wings.
By Mrs. Wilson Woodrow.
HHE EAR MRS. WOODROW:
What would you say to

OPANau AOuA HAusSs
It seems strange to get such a
letter as this from a far Western
State, where the skies are so blue
and the air is crystal clear and one
can lift ones eyes to the hills
whence eometh strength. Ny dear,
you are like a chrysalis which has
spun about itself a web of fog.
Break through it and spread your
bright wings in the sunlight; it is
only an imaginary fog, anyway,
and the mind that is capable of
creating an imaginary fog is eapa-
bic Of dissipating it.
II You had a plant in your win
dow that you were trying to make
grow, which Of two courses would
you pursue? Suppose that It didn't
respond to the care you gave II as
quickly as you thought 1t should,
would you say: why, you poor,
spindly thing, you are not worth
the attention give you; yours for
the ash heap?" / don't believe you
would. l believe that you would
bestow far more attention on II
than on other more thriving plants;
you would coax and pet it along
until at last you we're rewarded
by seeing 1t burst into splendid
bloom. II you didn't you would
not only be a gutter, but you
would have no. maternal instinct,
which Is uncomfortable.
Neither do l believe that you
would lie as unkind to others as
you are to yourself. I am sure
that you must see many delightful
qualities in your friends. You
praise them to others, to them
selves and to yourself, and yet all
that is really and entirely your
own-yourself-you treat as you
would not a plant, a pet animal
or another human being.
Your letter is full of negations.
81 am not efficient" 81 am one of
society's insists" II am self-con-
scious, awkward and taciturn.
ETC." You are all those things, Of
course, if you lay down such laws
for yourself. Nobody else and
nothing else in the universe de-
cided that you should be a fail
ure-only yourself.
Some Sound Advice.
But oh, dear me- What weight
Of destructive criticism you have
given one poor, little girl to bear.
Do you know who wins the race
and who gains the battles? Those
who are immune to either discour-
agement or defeat, because they
see only their goal and are indif-
ferent to the things that beset
them by the way. You must have
some idea OF what you would like
to become. Don't say: But that's
out Of the question. No use in
hoping for impossibilitieS. This
is a world in which nothing Is i'm
probable and nothing impossible.
Try an experiment for the next
two weeks. During that time be a
real friend to yourself. Stop criti-
cising, condemning and blaming
that unfortunate victim OF your
negative thoughts-your5elf. And
smile; "taciturn" has a grouchy
sound. You needn't be a chatter
box: quiet people are interesting
and restful. But smile: smile on
everybody and everything. Make
It the business OF your life to be
happy. Tell yourself on every &C.
casion that you are happy and that
you mean to be happy, though the
skies fall. And take a tremendous
interest in your personal appear
ance. You may say. 81 am not a
pretty girl" That is immaterial.
No girl who is dainty and fresh in
appearance is unattractive, and
plain women sometimes achieve an
effect Of beauty which passes for
the real thing.