Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1921-06-30
How to
Live
Common Sense Comsnenss ON
Health, Happiness and
.a Longevity
q
y GEORGE r. BUTLER,
A. NJ. M. D.
SIMPLE LIVING.

gether with the prevailing discomfort
seIfshness. hurry and worry are max
Ing most OF the trouble existing In the
world today. II Is true, Of course. that
we must have money In order to house,
feed and clothe ourselves and members
OF our family, but could we not sim
plify matters considerably to our great
advantage? Would we not be health.
Ter and happier II we lived simpler
lives? Self-sacriflce Is absolutely nee
essary to full. rich living II enters into
all the essential actions Of humanity.
Our needs apparently have grown with
the years, but do we really need as
much rs we think we do? How few
Of us have the courage and independ-
ence to do without some Of the neces-
stiles and many Of the luxuries Of
life. In trying to keep up with the
procession" we become more and more
dissatisfied and discontented our
nerves are irritatei and strained and
our health impaired. Simplicity Is de-
stroyed and health and happiness en-
dangered by any attempt to live In
harmony with public opinion. Ask
yourself this question. those Of you
who are straining every nerve to "keep
In the game,'-"Am really more
peaceful. more fraternal. and In better
mental and physical health, than II
were independent enough to live more
simply?" Now. honest" what IL your
answer? Are you not more discomfort
ed for striving for the nonessentials
and In endeavoring to keep up with,
or Outshine your neighbors? And dis
content impairs health.
Charles Wagner says. simplicity Ia
4 state Of mind. At bottom, 1t consists
In putting our acts and aspirations In
accordance with the law Of our being.
and consequently with the eternal in
tention which willed that we should
be at all. Plain living and high think
ing Is simpllfication. Nothing endures
hut the commonplace; happy il he who
finds the way back to simplicity"
When we are constantly trying to com
pete with or outshine others We are
killing simplicity and destroying our
happiness. Our thoughts should be
simplifed; and to simplify them Is to
have faith and confidence In the stGbil-
ity Of the universe: to be Optimists
rather than pessimists; to hope, to be
calm. to be thoughtful Of others. kind,
truthful. just and frank. II we culti-
vate such thoughts and simplify our
speech. lowering our voice. talking less
and doing more good In the world. our
over excited nerves will be soothed and
our general health improved. Our
needs. too. should he simplitied. TEN
perance In everythlng--in eating. in
work. In PLEASURES the best guard
ian Of our health and happiness.
The truth Is we are all of us depend
Ing too much on the without and not
enough ON the within. by simplifying
our thought. speech. manners, needs.
pleasures---in a word. by living the sim
pie life, and by strengthening the in
ner life--we secure Increased immu-
nifty from the inrcads Of disease and
exercise the keen JOY Of living. To
have health and happiness Is but to
live In harmony with a few simple,
! clearly defined laws. Simplicity Is the
law Of nature: In all her revelations
nature IL seeking to teach man the
greatness Of simplicity.
As Carlyle cried produce, produce
SO Thoreau cried simplify, simplify
lifel Now put the two doctrines Of
practical living oSether--simplify life
ms Thorcau would have II, then do the
duty that lies nearest. as Carlyle en-
| joins. and We have the ground work. II
seems to me, Of the life best worth
living. LEARN HOW TO LIVE.
Bodily vigor means activity, enthusi-
assn, determination. and energy-it
means that the mind has at command
| its best powers. and that all the parts
| of your nature are in a condition 10
work toGther jcyously and harmoni'
ously.
| We want to diminish the amount 81
| submerged "busy" work and to ex
plunge all desperate and hopeless work
we want to see fun and games playing
through IL. as heat lightning plays
through heavy clouds.
The more useful work YOU do, and
the more you think and feel. the more
you really live. The idle man is 4
useless man. and no matter to what
extent his life may be prolonged. mere
ly vegetables.
Service Is one of the ways by which
We can get a purchase on the whole
universe. II we find the job where
we can be Of use. we are hitched Il
the star OF the world. and move with
il.
Everyone feels better In fresh ol
outdoor air: SO does an invalid OF
depressed person: hence fresh air
air that is cool and moving--should b,
the kind Of air getting to the lungs.
Employment IL perennial tlre
proof JOY" and one If the best rem
etiies for the maladies Of men.