The Washington times., 1937-02-06

And how much & 4 &SAAAs
is an uncOn- Elsie Robinson
scious echo or image Of some other
life?
D. H. Lawrence said a startling
thing in his letters to Mabel Dodge
Luban-"So many of our feelings
are illusion. We don't really have
them say, as the ancients
said, there is an evil world-soul
which sometimes overpowers one,
and with which one has to struggle
most of the time to keep oneself
clear"
So many Of our feelings illu-
sions-or unconscious echoes, bor-
rowings, images! Try that test on
your own range of preferences and
prejudiceS.
SURPRISING
How many Of your opinions are
really yours, because you have de.
liberately chosen them, fought for
them, thought them through? And
how many were inherited from
your family's attitude, the neigh.
bors' goSsiping, popular opinion?
How much do you do because you,
yourself, want to do it-and how
much because you think it's your
duty, or the proper thing" or
will keep the peace? Try your
ideas and acts out, one by one,
and you'll be surprised!
Seventy-five per cent, at least. of
your ideas are Switched" You
may, long since, have forgotten
their source may, indeed, never
have known it but they are as
artificial, nevertheless, as unre-
lated to your actual self, as a
wooden leg or a set of false teeth!
And this is particularly peril.
Gus in view of the fact that the
only life which we really expert.
ence is that inner stream of con-
sciousness." And the only part
of that which is real, which means
anything or has any power, are
those ideas which are the product
of our own honest desires and
decisions.
You live in your thoughts-and
only in those thoughts which are
honestly your own.
Often you've rebelled against
the narrowneSS and futility Of your
life-wondered why you didn't
have more influence - haven't
you? And you'd thought enviously
of other people, not any more in
telligent or richer or better stu.
ated, but who, nevertheless, seemed
to leave their mark on everyone
they met, and to mold every cir
cumstance in which they were in
volved.
why" you've asked yourself
irritably, "do those people have
such power? Why can they put
themselves and their ideas across,
while 1 can't? Their ideas aren't
any better than mine"
Perhaps not-but they are their
own. Those people are REAL
they have the peculiar potency
and freshness of all true and liv'
ing things. Their ideas have the
same relationship to yours that q
living plant would have to beau
tifully made artificial reproduc'
ton.
INNER ABUNDANCE
And the power of those people
goes deeper than their surface
success. They live vividly and
powerfully INSIDE themselves as
well as OUTSIDE. No matter how
poor they are, or how tragic their
circumstances, they always expert
ence an inner abundance, because
something is always happening to
them. They are always at grips
with life, those people.
They aren't merely spectator
sports" accommodating a few smart
catch words and gestures but com.
ing away from the show dull and
unsatisfied. They are part Of the
game itself-wreStling their per.
Sonalities from the deadly grip OF
that world soul" which demoral'
ICES most of us with its heavy,
meaningless dictates.
They are doing the most exctt'
ing, amusing and important thing
which human beings can do for
themselves. They are thinking
for themselves.
And to the extent to which they
think for themselves-but only to
that extent-they live!
Your whole life would be
changed if you would think one
new thought a day. make one
honest, original conclusion or de-
cision. You would be like a dead
thing, coming to life.
(This column 1Delcomes and
requests comments. Letters
presenting personal problems
n1av also be sent. All letters
1Dili be handled contidentially
and dnSDered promptly If
stamped, addressed envelopes
are incIuded.)
Copyright. 1887. by King Features
Syndicate. 1nc.)
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