The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-23
Just Human

By DR. FRANK CnANE.

What does ft mean to be-iust hunan2 H means ro love folks; to be drawn in~ sttnctively to any human being: to gaze o,, the face of every passer-by with curiosity: to reel the heart warm little even when looking at an old portrait in book of one who nved rive hundred years ago; to have a sense of uneasiness in solitude, 80 that one wants to hunt up the sewing maid or the Janitor for bit of a talk; to find pleasure m watching from the window the people in tne street; to have every man and woman tempt to acquaintanceship; to see in every room, where people live, something to pioue the imagination; to follow with the eyes every schoolboy and wonder what nome he comes from, what companionship he goes to. and what dreams occupy his soul; to feel awe at every old house, deserted and deso- late, because human laughter has rung there: to reverence every church because men have worshipped there; to feel touch upon the soul at the sight of a name carved on tree, because human feeling is traced there to hate war, because it means the extermina tion of men and the spelling of men's handi- work; to love human qualities in birds beasts and things, as the fidelity of the dog the playfulness and affection of the eat the whimsicality of the parrot, the docility of the horse and COW, the water that babbles. fine fire that talks and dances, the wind that sobs.
 It means to be touched with pity at all human misfortune; to have a pang shoot through you when another's finger is crushed; to shed tears when another's heart is broken; to feel saddened at the thought of the many lives that are dull and hopeless; to take in one's own mouththe misery of the multitude; to be shattered and rocked in the depths of the soul at the sight of prison or a madhouse; to seek in one's least words Vpa t0 hall ing one may meeti to smile against one's grain for another's sake; to have an uncon- querable aversion to causing pain, or even embarrassment; to avoid drawing attention to one's own success before the unsuccess- full, to ones own talent before the ungifted. to ones own health, or beauty before the dis eased or ugly; to be insincere rather than unfeeling, so that one pretends nightly to enjoy the box of sweets a little child has given, though one inwardly detests them to spare the feelings of the washerwoman as readily as the feelings of the banker; to seek to set any one at ease who approaches with shyness when one asks the road to go with him a little way to treat with respect all who wish to become acquainted to be gra- Cious even when in a sQrly mood to listen " atiently and interestedty to the egotist the oomineering and the opiniated, and to en- courage the hesitant and diffident; to try to find some points upon which we can agree with every one to shun all conflicts and to seek all fellowships; to take some part in movements for the protection of the weak. so that one helps do something in an organized way for the rights of children, of laborers, of criminals, of the crippled and the defec- tive, of the common citizen against system atic plans to prey upon him.
 To respect every human being and to de- spise none; to shrink from spelling any mans ideal or hope to shun power and con trol over people and seek to serve and help people; to value a human soul above all moralities, religions and laws and to ca teem life greater than all ins1tutiops-
 This it is to be-jnst hum91