Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-26
THE RESTLESS
BY H. Arlington Bruce

TROM time to time there come to me
II letters the burden of which is strik-
ingly similar. Written by people in
most diverse walks of life, these letters say
in effect:
"It is hard for me to concentrate on my
work. My mind continually flies to other
things. | am no better off when not working.
For then l feel strangely restless and I'M
easy. 1 can not settle down to anything, and,
though l find plenty of ways for amusing my
SELF nothing gives me any real pleasure.
What is Wrong?"
In the lack of personal acquaintance with
the writer's of such letters it is impossible to
say categorically what is wrong. The rest
lessness complained Of may spring from any
one of numerous Causes, including conditions
of bodily disorder calling for medical disag
nOsis and treatment.
Yet this much may be said, that in most
cases it is not the body that is at fault, but
the mind. The restless, as class, are people
who have not taken sufficient pains to &C
quire a sound philosophy of life, or at all
events have failed to develop their minds, as
all might and should.
If a person, for example, allows his or her
mind to become obsessed with the absurd
idea that life is meant for pleasure only,
work is certain to become distasteful, and
discomfort and restlessness will be expert
enced while at work. Yet in that case
freedom from work-freedom to seek pleas
are-Will not bring the longed-for content
ment.
For your mere pleasure-seeker is essen
tally selfish. And sel1shness, if only because
it involves a negatiOn of the altruistic in
stinct, carries with it a penalty of chronic
dissatisfaction with life
Only those who have a genuine enthusi-
asm for their work-Who recognize the value
of that work to society and rejoice in it as a
means of enabling them to render useful
service know true peace of mind when
at work. But even they may feel strangely
restless and uneasy outside of working
hours if they have neglected, as countless
numbers do, to fit themselves by mental
training for the proper enjoyment of leisure.
Richard Duffy, in his admirable introduce
ton to Jules Payot's "Will Power and Work, -
states the case clearly when he remarks:
MANY pay scrupulous attention to the care
and development of their physical being and
never pause to reflect that their intellectual
constitution also requires training.
They fail to realize, whether they are fnan-
tally prosperous or able only just to get
olong, that their mind is the handspring of
their EXISTENCE
Neglect to train and cultivate the mind
through developing a love Of reading and
study interest in nature, in art, music, ETC.
necessarily means some degree Of mental in
adequacy. In most cases it means deplor-
able dependence IN external sources of
amusement, entertainment, and recreation.
But such sources are not always available.
And even when they are available they pail
soon or late. Restlessness follows, the in
evitable product of failure to obey natures
law that the mind must be as carefully nur-
tured as the body.
Learn to develop and use your mind, learn
love your work, learn to think more of
'c"5 f3ooG than OF your own-this is really
the best advice that can be given to the rest
less whose restlessness is without physical
cause.
Copyright, 1921, by The Associated
NeWspapers.)