The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-12-30
THE HIGHER
TIE FEWER
There's Always Plenty of Room
At The Top
By
NANCY J. MIDGETT

days of waning, at least as far as
the man made calendar is concern
ed, tho the deeds and deci-
sions of these past thre e
hundred and sixty four days
are in their results even now
part of the coming year, l sat
down with Me and had a serious
think, and in fact spoke very firm
ly to Me about the short comings
in behaviour, deed, thought and
word during those past 1866 days
and the many thousand before that.
Me of course, had all the usual
excuses to offer; all those placat-
ing things one says to friends to
make their conscience feel better
even when our inner judgement
says in a loud voice "No! it wasn't
the right thing to do. 1t is funny
how many and varied the excuses
we can think of for our own actions
and those of our friends but let
other folk outside the magic circle
do exactly the same thing, and for
all we may know with more provo
cation, and We howl to high heaven
about their meanness, wrongdoing,
etc. When l say it is funny | mean
funny peculiar not funny ha!
HAP
Now that both and Me are
getting older, we realize that New
Year resolutions are not the simple
things they seemed once upon a
time. 1t isn't enough to just save
ones pennies, quarters and dol
lars, although that in itself at
times comes near to the working
of miracles these days. 1t isn't
just to have two pieces of candy
a week instead of two day. MOI
is it to remember to say Thank
you for anything given and ii
you please when asking. These al
help but are more the outer show
of the inward grace that is in fac
the core that has to be worked OF
and that is truly hard labor in the
hustle and hustle of the days
around US. 1t can become a labor
of love when we get into the habit
of it. | read or heard somewhere
that it is as easy to make gooc
habits as bad if you start soor
enough and l never have thought
up an argument against it, but
the knowledge of what are gooC
habits and what are bad must be
there first.
AS not a single human on this
earth today can be perfect, the
best we can do is to do the best
we can; not the best Tom or Jacl
or Johnny is doing; they have tt
work out their own life and the
fact that Jack has done such anC
such and got away with it, doesn't
make it right or even worth trying
We could be harming ourselve:
beyond measure even if we go
away with it too. That is one of the
weaknesses that | spoke to me
about but each and all have theil
own problems and neither | or Nj
feel in a position or have at an!
time the right to stand in judge
ment. | will admit find my tongue
doing a whole lot of trying tt
judge though and in the end al
that get out of it is a rising
blood pressure and churned up in
nards and a mighty large feeling
of shame when that same person
or persons who have been the
topic of conversation do me a gooC
turn.
1t all brings me back to the New
Year, still observed with mucl
more to do in Scotland than it i!
in England, and the lines, mucl
quoted, by a great Scot, though
not great success as a man b!
the standards of society, moralit.
perhaps and purpose in living, a!
enclosed in his mortal body. Thu
spirit of the man and the spiri
and courage he has reused il
others long after his death is /;
better monument than any heat
stone, any fortune shown on tn
records of bank, any propert!
left only to his family heirs which
so often leads to i'll feeling, quar-
rels and heartache.
"Oh wad some power the gift!
gle US
To see oursels as others see us
1t wad frae monte blunder free III
An foolish notion"