Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-18

haps sums up the argument against
worry.
But worry laughs at arguments They
are its meat and drink AS for trifling
matters, worry easily magnifies them
into large matters; it makes mountains
out of molehills, and elephants out OF
mice. There is nothing too small or
temporary to prevent the real worrying
disposition from worrying about 1t.
X * X X
If this is so, and We believe 1t IS,
there is no real reason to be upset by
worry. In the majority of cases it
causes no real or permanent damage.
Every one has had occasion to depre-
cate the callow contempt for serious
things which he may have seen dis
played by some laughing, sneering, ir-
responsible junior. who through lack Of
basic qualities of mind and heart is not
able to approach life in any other way.
Such en- attitude, which is more COM
mon than one may choose to admit,
has given every serious person a pause,
in which he has stopped to consider
life and living. what they are, what
they mean, toward what they tend
If he is not able to answer these
questions. at least his consideration has
shown him the utter futility of the
absurdly foolish approach, or that at
titude toward life which consists es-
sentially of hiding ones head in the
sands.
Life is a great, glorious, yet strange
phenomenon, and in it the inconse-
quential is often as important as the
consequential. No one can say what
will happen the next minute.
X
Wherefore, one may hold with some
justice, that worry is right and bene-
fetal. Rightly considered. it IS an art,
in which one may be either dub or
a master, or pause at any Of the stages
between.
Worry is a sure sign that the worrier
takes life seriously enough to respect it..
He knows the insecurity OF all things
and believes there is much, truth in the
famous attitude of the old. Western
poker player who, when he drew hoped
for the best and expected the worst
1t Is not so much worry, in itself,
which is good, as the traits of heart
and mind which it connoteS. There
usually is goodness lurking IN the back
ground OF worry, the right sort OF worry.
OF course. no one would speak indis-
criminately Of all worry as good. But
the worry which ever seeks for the
best, as it is given the light to see the
DeSC, anu SSpeCldlly TIE Type WHICH
worries for others, as the mother for
the child. Is the right sort of worry. and
no one should be in too great hurry
to condemn it.
Condemnation will do no good, in
any event, because worry has ever
through the ages shown itself thorough
ly proof against it. Worry is clever
and does not necessarily show itself
to the world by lowered eyes. drawn
down mouth, or sorrowful expression.
Sometimes it DISCUSSES itself as clown
and sings when its heart breaks. Mostly
it assumes no such classic role, but
contents itself with being the guardian
of conscience itself He who worries
is he who thinks, and he who thinks
to some extent, at least. has rid himself
of the superficial optimism which Is
at heart false and shallow and has
replaced it with something honest.
Can any one imagine that George
Washington did not worry. or that
Abraham Lincoln did not worry? Worry
did not hurt them. it became them;
and so it will any man who is honest
with the world and himself.