Evening star., 1949-10-12
This and That
Rv Charles E. TracewelI

- I'm willing to wager that he never once
did them q kindness writes q reader. re-
ferring to the scientist who called common
sparrows "feathered rats"
,s-.s That Is the gist Of the whole thing, not
only In regard to this small matter but also
most Of the affairs Of this, our daily life.
Doing even small kindness for someone,
or something, will alter the whole picture.
It Is psychological approach, Of course.
BY putting ones glorious self into action,
one goes forward. not backward.
Being happy IL often ~ easy as that, but
It is lesson countless millions must learn
for themselves. Just reading about 1t will
do no good. Or will 1t?
= -
The self-centered approach has its good
points, but 1t always misses sadly when it
comes to building up true inner happiness.
Many wonderful books have been written
on this theme, notable among them In recent
years THE Seven Storey Mountain" Peace
Of Mind" and Peace Of Soul"
Going outward to others, rather than de-
manding that they come forward to ones
self. is the secret Of the ages.
Most Of US still have to put 1t into effect,
even when We know about 1t.
Where knowledge fails to turn itself into
action, the needed thing. il In failure to
grasp the little, immediate chance.
This may be no more than an opportu-
nifty to value common sparrows at their true
worth, or feed . wandering dog or cat
The small creatures are 20 receptive and
have such elastic natures. no wonder the
scientists appreciate them for dietic expert
ments.
Human beings may diet Is they please,
often it Is difficult to tell just what good it
has done. Even the doctor who prescribes
1t cannot be sure. A year Is too little, often
enough. to see any difference.
Not 10 with the animals.
-Four days Of good feeding will make all
the difference between q nstless pup and 4
bounding one.
A wandering feline. which has been on
short rations since birth. will not raise q paw,
It Is submissive, not sick. but stil not q
happy cat.
Give 1t real food. and by the third day It
Is Jumping and running, ready to play 1t
the drop Of hat.
1t now has that sense Of well being" which
the nutrition experts tell US about but which
we too seldom see in human beings.
\
What this world needs, unquestionably. is
less talk about liberation and more about
cooperation.
ILLS Co-OpcIdClOn, In us Turn, may BEGIN
as nothing more than feeding the birds.
It is odd. how the nature Of some persons
leads them, once they have begun to feed
the birds. to begin to draw lines.
At first they complain about the squirrels
getting the food-as If squirrels were not as
hungry as birds!
Then they bemoan the approach of Eng
lish sparrows.
Soon they are after the pigeons, then be-
gin to froth at the mouth over blue jays.
Do so little thing as q real kindness,
then, If you wish to avoid being this queer
sort Of nature lover.
Realize that in the chill Of autumn and
the cold Of winter all the little wild things
Of our gardens are equally cold-and hungry.
Do them kindness Gin the words Of our
correspondents and watch the glow of hap
piness overcome the crust Of age.
mo one who feeds q common sparrow and
watches it's feathers turn from drab to
bright. who sees its happiness and sense Of
well being, could possibly refer to 1t as a
rat. feathered or otherwise.
All such unhappy expressions are 1T once
the curse of humanity, and the despair, one
may feel sure. Of God. He had hoped to do
better with us. What must be His feelings
now, as He watches u toying with the atom
bomb7