Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-14
Life's Problems
Are Discussed
BY MRS. WILSON WOoDRoW


which appeared under the caption.
Finding Your Best Talent" The
correspondent who makes this rc-
quest says:
sideration to answer these questions
you will help not only myself but
several other struggling souls who
have read your article and have
talked to me about it.
First, you say: we would not
desire whatever our hearts are set
upon, if it were not in our power
to secure it, Do you believe that
that is fact?"
Yes; l do believe it. We each
have some particular bent or dircc-
ton in which our minds naturally
turn. That is our guidepost; it in
dicates the desire of our souls. But
in many cases it is not needed. We
let events or persons with stronger
wills than ours decide ror> us, or
we ar lazy and hate to make tile
necessary effort. one often hears
people in middle life saying, "I
should have been an inventor" or.
Il should have been a designer
which shows that they've recog-
niZed their bent, but for one reason
or another didn't follow it. 1t would
take too much application, they
thought, to much time, and they
were amused or temporarily inter
csted in other things. They would
not discipline themselves to the
point of holding steadfastly to one
idea, and they continued to sell
their birthright for Il mess of pot.
tage.
My correspondent next asks:
You tell the story of a young wom-
AN who achieved her wish to be-
come n greater opera singer; does
n mere wish always mean accom-
! plishment?"
Certainly. If the wish is strong
enough--a flame that burns stead.
I lily and does not have to be Ic.
! lighted again and again. You can.
not break an iron bar, but you cal
cult it by the application of ar
acetelyne torch.
In the case of the singer, she had
the voice and the desire to be Pre-.
eminent in her profession. and that
desire was so strong that it broke
down by its Irresistible force all ol
the innumerable obstacles which
threatened to defeat her. Can you
imagine an Edison not achieving his
destiny?
The third question is: please
state why in your opinion so many
people desire and attempt to do the
things for which they are not adapt
fhnrnfnrn -,
doing we'll?
They are not good gardeners
They do not cons der the quality
of the land that is given them Lu
III. They do not stop to discover
the nature and direction of their
talents. They are swayed by the
whim of the moment, or by the
opinion of others, or by the spirit
OF emulation; or else they follow
the line of least resistance.
Most persons want all the good
things of life without lifting d
ilnger to get them. They feel ag
GrieVed because their desires are
not handed to them on n colder
platter. They are not willing tc
| make the sacrifices and go through
the drudgery that is the prepara,
tory school to any kind of achieve
ment. The percentage of people
who put every ounce of their BRAN.
in what they set out to do is al.
most negligible. There is a great
triple combination which can con
qner any mstances-brains
wits and ingenuity.
AS an instance. there is the old
creek story of Atalanta. She was
! the kings daughter and a famous
runner, OutdistanCing all the youths
VINO competed against her, and Iii.
! eNllably winning. 1t was current
/ gossip that she would marry The
! runner who could outfoot her In 2
race, and most of the young mer
Of her day spent their time i:
| training.
But no matter how many entered
! the lists or how hard they strove
TO win, she always left them be.
| hlnd taking the dust of her winged
rect. SO her despairing suitor.
stood around, Struggling their shoul.
| ders and saying jim effect:
Fat chance we've got She car
IeaVe all of us at the post any tim,
| she chooses"
! But came one with the firm de
termination of winning her. II,
! knew that on n question of spee,
!
lied upon his knowledge. of remi
nine psychology.
Consequently during the rae,
when Atalanta had run about hal
| the distance and he was laggint
behind, he threw after her a COLDER
| apple from the Garden of He's
perides. She knew she had plent,
of time, so she stopped to pick i
up. He crept nearer, and seeint
| him she sprinted ahead again.
He threw another apple. He wa,
very near, but she couldn't resis
that beautiful globe of solid gold
and she had to swerve out of he,
course little to get it. thereb,
losing distance.
1t was almost neck and neck he.
tween them, when he threw the
third apple. Relying on one of he,
famous final bursts of speed. srt
stopped for it, but he shot past he,
| as she did so and touched the goal
This is a case not unusual o.
Mediocrity on the job. so to speak
outdlstancing Genius so sure of IT.
self that it doesn't bother to talk,
| pains.