Evening star., 1953-08-30
Problems Today
Happy Home
The Result
OF Effort
By MurieI Nissen

What makes home happy?
Ask any number of people and
you'll doubtless hear a different
answer from each one. All their
ideas, however, add up to the
same keystones that are my
choice for a harmonious family
and home-kindnesS, loyalty and
companionship.
A gentle aura of kindness in
a home is the atmosphere in
which love Observation-Disclosures
not only to members of the fam
lily. but spread out to encompass
neighborS. friends, mutual in
laws. and the stranger without.
as we'll as within, the gates.
Kindness is not q quality to be
paraded only on Sundays and
holidays; it should glow in
homes every day of the year.
This fine attribute is frightened
by constant thoughtful acts. and
is dulled when haste causes
human lapSes.
Sister virtues of gentleness
and graciouSness go hand in
hand with kindness to create the
home that fairly breathes a
blessing on all who enter. How
could anyone visit such an abode
without being impressed by its
charm and prof1ting by its ex-
ample?
Loyalty is a more personal at
tribute, a more binding one. The
happy home is strong when mem
bers of the family are all loyal to
each other, to their community
and to God. It may often in
volve the sacrifice Of personal
freedom, of personal desires and,
not infrequently, it is the decid-
ing factor in resisting temptation.
Many a time only a fierce loyalty
fends off temptation-when a
husband or wife is tempted to
break marriage vows.
A loyal family confines its do
meStic problems to the home ex-
cept in instances Of professional
advice. Its members do not crit
icize each other to outsiders -
occasionally malicious gossip car
rierS. The members of the fam
lily guard each others conf
dences. A minor instance of dis
loyalty-such as reciting stories
about a brother or a sister to a
casual acquaintance-may seem
quite innocent, but it can lead to
a serious breakdown of family
morale. A happy home discour-
ages any pettiness.
CompanionShip is the most
personal item on our list. A
closely knit bond Of affection
must exist between members of
a family if it is to be a really
happy domestic unit. If Nom
and Dad instill the spirit of be-
longing. to each other in their
young, it usually sticks through
adulthood. No friends, however
dear, should ever be placed above
family members and they won't
If the habit of Nom and Dad,
brothers and sisters doing things
together is constantly encour-
aged. There are bound to be diff
ferences in a family, but the har-
monious home can overcome
them with a minimum Of strife
and no bitter aftermath. Teach
ing the give-and- take of life, es-
pecially as it concerns the family
circle. is a prime parental respon-
Sibility. W
Happy homes don't just
"grow." They are the result
of determined effort and a
united will to stick together,
work together and pray together.
The tragedy of a broken home.
or an unhappy one, is some
thing no one wants to face, but,
unfortunately. too many people
shirk the obligation to keep it
whole, to try to bring in hap
piness.
Major incidents are not always
responsible for making or break
ing a family; it is the accumula-
ton of small things that makes
for an unhappy family. Petty
differences build up until the
dam bursts and leaves a wretched
group.
Kindness, loyalty. companion
ship dispel domestic ogres and
encourage laughter and the joy
of living.