Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-23
SPIRES or THE SPIRIT
A Scoop of Praise
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United states Senate

"Among the smaller duties
Of life I hardly know any
one more important than
that Of not praising where
praise IL not DUE" Quite
truel But deserved praise is
what the sun is to the fiow-
ers. Most people are not
quite sure Of themselves or
Of their place in the esteem
of others. We welcome
praise not because it feeds
our egotism, but because 1t
re-establishes our self-esteem.
As DR.. Fosdick puts It!
Praise gives US o temporary
lift over the low opinion We
have Of ourselves"
A well-known religious
leader suggests that there are
millions Of people who would
be uplifted and helped II
from someone they trust
they could have, once in
awhile, "one good scoop Of
praise" It Is amazing what
one occasional good scoop of
praise-a sincerely meant
compliment-not frothy soft
soap, but an honest appraisal
Of ones accomplishment or
potentialities win do to keep
some discouraged one on his
feet.
A wise pastor who. between
the throngs to which he
breaches on Sunday. con-
stantly looks weekdays into
the perplexed faces Of q pro-
cession coming to his study
with their personal problems.
has this to say after years Of
counseling: $50 many Of the
people who come do not want
advice. They certainly do not
need scolding. They are
suffering from q deep sense
of personal inadequacy and
needed encouragement. They
need above all q vocal push,
q verbal pat on the back"
In the realm Of the spirit,
when some frail humans out
look is clouded with the fear
of failure and q sense Of in
adequacy, there is no treat
ment which is more of an
elixir than a scoop of praise.
A slap on the back is quite
different from a scoop OF
praise. The former may be
nothing more than the ex-
uberant gesture of a bolster
GUS extrovert whose violent
greeting is seldom the ex-
preston of deep and sincere
friendship. But a quiet. UNI
obtrusive pat on the back,
accompanied by a generous
scoop Of praise, may change
q darkened day into q vista
of blue skies and of blossom
ing trees full Of singing birds.
A sign of approval, a quiet
word Of appreciation and
confidence and of great ex-
pectations, may be one of the
most precious things you can
give to a struggling comrade
by your side.
One of the most grievous
sources Of misery which tor
ment human spirits is the
corroding habit of fault find
ing. In spite of things galore
which could be justly criti-'
cized, it is equally true that
there is ample reason for
gratitude and praise if one
will but look for it. When
with honest appreciation we
say "That is good" we have
contributed something posi-
tive to the sum total Of life's
glory. This is not to advo-
cate that imperfections are
to be whitewaShed with a
gushing extravaganza Of COM
mendation, as if one had just
kissed. the Blarney stone.
There is no virtue in that.
However, the habit Of sincere
praise lifts morale, sets the
dropping soul singing. and
starts folded wings fiuttering,
ready to leave the clods for
the clouds. This habit Of
praise is based on always
seeing the best that glimmers
through the worst. It Is al
ways seeking to underscore
the things that are excellent
and Of good report.
A well-known bishop had
q favorite sentence which he
was accustomed to utter and