Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-01
Life'S Problems
Are Discussed

The world is flooded with all kinds
of useful inventions, we multiply
labor saving devices, but somehow, or
other, we have failed to multiply
happiness. Suppose our great-grand-
parents could take a birds eye view
of life as it is lived to-day with all
of our household conveniences, our
sanitary plumbing, our modern meth
DDS of heating and lighting. our con-
quest of space through rapid transit;
the ease with which we talk to
friends at a distance. without lifting
our voices; our ready-to- cloth
ing, by which we may acquire whole
seasons wardrobe in half a day, if
| necessary. and a thousand other
things which are freeing the human
race for bigger efforts than the strug-
gle with material obstacles.
These great grandparents. consid-
ering their own experiences on the
| earth plane, would probably be lost
in surprise that we are not all as
| happy as kings. Only, strange to
! say, the great majority of persons are
| not.
IT could be so happy if' - is
IHC uhiNClodi vail vi,
would be all right but for -
TheSe they stand, those "ifs" and
butts" towering mountains between
| us and Elysium.
Seven-tenths of the letters I get
may be divided into three grcnps
,, love affairs that won't run smooth.
! unbearable home conditions and fl
I. nancial worries.
Considering a philosophy of life,
we can't get very far away from the
old nursery rhyme:
For every evil under the SUM-
There is a remedy or there's none;
If there is one, try and find it.
If there is none, never mind it.
1t condenses the wisdom of the
ages, but It's application lis as diff
hcult as its rhyme is simple.
The most perplexing problems are
those of the home. Romantic diff
culties may be readjusted in the
twinkling of an eye. and there is al
ways the possibility of a change of
heart and the new love taking the
place of the old; and the same is true
of financial difficulties, persistent eff
fort may have It's reward, or oppor-
tunity may open new doors although
the broken-hearted and the financially
"oulu IeBdIu
this as rosily optimistic view.
But 1 am considering now the let
ters which describe unhappy home
conditions. OF course harmonious
family life is the most beautiful
thing in the world, but when it is
inharmononious it is plain hades. ana
1t takes the wisdom of Solomon to
know how to meet its many perplexi-
ties.
One reason for it's difficulties is
that a number of individualities are
thrown into constant, Intimate asso-
citation. They may and usually do
have different tastes and interests and
ioeals. They all look at life from dif-
ferent angles. Friction is almost Ger
tain, especially as good manners are
usually adjourned; and the members
for some strange reason feel privi-
legged to say to each other things Icy
wouldn't dare utter to an acquaint-
ance without being swatted.
Then we all have periods in our
lives when we can't make up our
minds just what to do. We are moody
and undecided; or we are out of tune
with everything; or-we seem bent
on doing something which appears
quite idiotic to our friends.
At such times 1t is difficult for
the interested onlcokers to withhold
advice or criticism. but If they could
be brave enough to do so and let us
work the thing out In our own way