Evening star., 1935-05-04
Popularity
Elusive for
Lonely One
Friendly Spirit Must
Be Shown to Win
Attention.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

A LII young girls, and most boys, long
to be popular. That is saying
that most Of our boys and girls are
healthy In mind and body. The per-
son who does not want to be liked and
admired must have something the
matter with him. 1t Is human to want
to be liked and admired: healthy to
want to be noticed and praised.
Some young people find themselves
blocked in this desire for notice. For
some reason they cannot understand,
nobody wants to be seen with them.
Nobody wants to pair off with them
and enjoy long intimate chats. No
body ever seeks their company or in
vites it. And the lonely young people
are thrown back upon their disap-
pointed, grieved selves.
"I am bright in school. am not
bad looking. There is nothing about
my personal appearance that is much
different from other girls. But I am
not popular. Nobody asks me to the
dance or the game. No boy, no girl
of my acquaintance ever calls on me.
I am left alone at every affair until I
slip out and go home. I can do that
safely because nobody, not even the
hostess, will notice. What can do?"
When this happens to boys and girls
they feel helpless. They look at
;-;~
son. They find no fault in themselves.
1t is the other boys and girls who are
selfish and coldly indifferent, maybe
Jealous If there were any justice in
the world this outcast would be the
leader. Some such thought is in their
minds and it Is precisely that thought
that blinds them to the real situation.
No boy is left to himself unless he
has shown some quality Of disposition
or character that drove of possible
friends. No girl is left alone, isolated,
as this young girl is, unless she has
indicated that she wants no friendly
advances, wishes no friendly consid-
Grafton. All human beings are lonely
and seek companionship and friend
ship. There is q reason for the ex-
ceptions.
The reason varies with the indi-
vidual One is superior in manner.
The atmosphere he creates around
him makes others shrink from him,
humiliaAd. Another is critical of all
and everything. Nothing Is done as
he could do It, Nobody succeeds as he
could succeed. Nobody can be friendly
in such an atmosphere as tflat. None
of us can open our hearts to harsh
critics. We close them and 60 away
as far as we can get.
Some people are mind-bound Just
as some people are muscle e-bound.
Their minds are stiff from lack Of use.
Their spirits creak on their hinges so
seldom have they been opened to the
good fellowship that has been press
ing upon them. Shut tight In their
narrow cells they peer out, self i'm
prisoned victims; SO bleak in their gaze
and so chill in their touch that no
guest fingers for another greeting.
To to be popular-that is, to have
friends-one must be friendly. To find
this world a warm and welcoming
place one must shed warmth and well
come from his own spirit. The whole
thing narrows down to the question,
What have you done to earn friend
ship?" Nothing? Then you have
the reason for your loneliness. Go
out and do something that Is heart
warming, smile on somebody who
needs a smile, lend q hand to some-
one who is waiting for a lift. Be hui
man as you expect to be treated hui
manly and you won't be unpopular.
The whole community will be your
friends .s.,,,,.s1. ,sss,