The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1920-09-28
How to
Live
s.
Common Sense Comments on
Health. Happiness and
Longevity
81
By GEORGE r. BUTLER.
A. NJ. M. D.
WORK.
Copy right laao, BY International Press Bureau

employment is natures physician"
Health is maintained by occupation.
When one quits work he loses the pep
that comes to him from doing some
thing and being of some use. OF re
spending to demands and maintaining
q routine, and his muscles get soft. his
internal organs go on strike, his appe-
tte fails and he loses sleep. Work IS
necessary TO growth. because through
it one acquires strength of mind and
body. Both brain and muscle grow
strong by exercise, by assuming re-
sponsibilities. by bearing burdens and
doing things. Work of some sort is as
necessary to health as eating and
drinking.
Idleness and inactIon breed nervous
prostration. fear, worry, gossip, crime,
constipation. and host of evils. We
make friends through work. we find in
it beauty. humor, pathos-all that goes
to make up full. normal life. Con
genial work is as necessary to peace
of mind as it Is for the health of the
body; it Is the symbol md avenue for
almost all that is worth while in hn.
man life. The happiest hours of your
life should be when you are working,
and you can learn to Ike any work
you may he doing. But whatever your
Job is you should dignity and vtal;ze
II by putting your ideal into 1t. giving
your life. your energy, your enthusi-'
assn, all to the highest work of which
you are capable. Your heart must In
sDire what your hands execute. Your
work sometimes may he hard ana
thankless, but like tough metal Il
serves to suit the needs or a strong
man and is better suited to that pu--
pose than slipping soft drinks al a sum-
mer resort.
Cut out your Crouch" If you have
one, Quit feeling sorry for yourself
and feel SORRY for others. When you
pity yourself because yon think you
have hard job your soul shrivels up.
but when you pity others your soul ex-
pands md grows. When you are troH-
bled with grouchiness and Self-pity j'tSt
remember that you are in a universal
guild Of toll. end the universal forces
are Infinitely adaptable TO the poor
jobs as well as to the good ones. ard
that someone must do the work-w'Iy
rot you? Any labor will he irksome
If done in a disconnected unhappy
spirit.
who sweeps a room as in His sight
Makes that and the action fine"
To work. and to honor ones task by
associating it with the whole; to cut
out envy. jealousy and complaint. and
replace them with nobler traits would
prevent much sickness and go long
way toward solving the labor problem.
Anyone can be healthy. happy and
successful who holds the right mental
attitude and who works with "nthusi-
assn, determination and a light heart.
When you work. cultivate ca'mness,
poise sweetness. doing your best. bear
ing all things bravely. living your life
alndisturbed by tn. prosperity of your
boss. or the ma ice and envy of the
man out of a Job.
Health and happiness are free It you
but reach for them-occupation and
the right state of mind are pretty sure
to fetch them The more useful work
YOU do and the more yoL think and
feel. the more you really live. Then
after your work Is over for the day,
give yourself an hour or so for self
examinations for thought, for body and
brain rest. for amusement. and you will
have a good conscience. a good anpe:
tite. and peaceful sumber. LEARN
HOW TO LIVE.
Though no man can add cunt IN
his stature. we can all make our
selves III, and most of us can keep
ourselves well. Most people will keep
fairly we'll if they eat little: avoid
alcohol and tobacco; take plenty OF
fresh air and exercise; keep the mind
at work and the conscience at rest.
Let us abate something. at least OF
our devotion to the almighty dollar.
and regard the world as something
better than a huge workshop in which
we are to toll and moil increasingly, till
death stops the human machine. Let
US learn how to play.