Evening star., 1935-11-20
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

ways, but perhaps the best is to say the
gains of worrying are there if one wants
to catch them. But they must be
shared. They consist mainly Of real
izing that thought Is thought, and, as
such, is, or at least ought to be, good, if
1t leads on to dropping out OF the mental
game the bad thoughts, the harassing
thoughts, the useless thoughts.
The great bulk of humanity steer their
barks of life without one thought as to
the consequences, and perhaps they are
the better off for it, and no one who is
otherwise would wish them to be differ
ent. The latter, the worriers, will keep
on thinking about everything, will con-
tinue to wonder if the rear end of the
bus is actually going to come around the
corner properly. They will see it rid
ing up over the curb, or catching some
poor dog unawareS, or smashing into
yonder sedan
He or she who worries over such mat
ters will find 1t profitable now and then
as most OF them do, to call a decided
halt in such thinking. Perhaps caution
is the biggest gain out of it. One has
but to watch scores Of people in the
everyday to see how little they gain
by being unnecessarily reckless, eope-
cially in traffic. If one-tenth of the
motorists were as bad as some people
say IS per cent of them are, all the care
less and Indifferent pedestrians would
have been run over long ago.
BY taking thought as to which part
of average worrying has some good in
it, and which part has not, it will be
possible for all such persons to weed out
bad and really inimical thoughts, much
as they would weed the garden.
But in this sort of discrimination. as
in that, eternal vigilance is the price
one must pay to get anywhere. One
ought to remind ones self ceaselessly-
just another part of the game-that this
portion or that portion Of the daily wor-
rying is distinctly not good.
Then, by concentrating on the better
/ part, some gain may be realized out of
worrying. after all, especially If one be-
longs to the noble tribe of those who are
| not afraid OF thought. How many per-
sons there are, to be sure-well meaning
people, too-Who are afraid Of thought!
Especially in things governmental, and
the like, they are afraid TO think about
| alternatives, and what might happen if
something else were adopted. But in
the personal affairs of life they are even
more determined to live on slogans and
the like. and to emulate the ostrich. with
its head in the sand. MANY animals
operate on a theory that if they cannot
see something, no one else can, eitherJ
Those who admire thinking in the
abstract, are never afraid OF anything
that can be phraSed in words. Their
standards will not permit the admira-
tion of certain phases of thought. but
at least they tolerate it. in the honest
belief that it is good thinking Of and
to others. If not to themselves. Hence
these persons in time come to be tolerant,
in the best sense They worry great
deal. according to their friends and rela-
tives. but that is because they think
more. having minds more open to every
thing that is thought and more alert to
catch the millionfold tones Of the uni
yersal symphony.
1t is especially good for all such people,
whoever they are. or whatever their
work may be. to realize that they have
great deal TO learn, and in an intellec-
tual way. too from the daily lives Of
those who steer straight ahead in the
journey of life, letting the rest come along
behind them as it will.