Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 39, 12 January 1945, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakatnae Miaist ers' Association).

"ON BEING CHUMS WITH OURSELVES" By Dent* Drew "I have .to live with rfy- ; c: l\ and so L' 'want to be fit for myself to I want lo be able as days go by Always to look myself in the eye. 1 don't want to stand in the setting sun And hate myself for the things I've done, T will not know the pangs of shamc ) If I live clean, light clcan f and play I the 1 game. If you are not chums with yourself life will be very lonely, for there is so much time that you have to spend with yourself that to be out of friends is lamentable. To keep on good terms, try and avoid saying things that are bcttci left unsaid, and thus you will not have to "repent at leisure" and be out of harmony w'ith yourself. Those who are on good terms, with themselves can cnjo.y a quiet hour, take delight in reading or other occupation, and are not always* craving for other people's society, they enjioy being alone, being on good terms with themselves. Not that one wants by any means to become . self-centred. Our highest enjoyment should be when we are swept out. of ourselves by doing something that is lovely, for another's sake. ''She does> Lttle kindnesses Which mosi* leave undone or despise. For nought that sets. on«\s heart at ease And giveth happinoss or peace Is low esteemed in her eyes." Do not be always analysing yourself —it does not do much good > and is> apt to make one be a bit despondent. If you make a mistake, profit by it and avoid making another. It is very n'ice to be able to give yourself a pat on the back, but very much nicer for others to give you one. It gives you a thrill. How pleasant it is when one can feel there is harmony all around. I't is not possession that makes people great, it is in being anil doing; lending a hand when it is needed an».l you can do it. That is> the sort of thing that will make you get on good terms with j r ourself, to help to make everybody happy. Our character is our own, it grows in us along the years, and it is a personal possession that we cannot give away if we so desire. Everybody possesses some sort of character —some weak some brave, some 1 strong—i,t 5s a part of our life. Let us try to develop a noble one. Be on good terms with ourselves and others to. A chum of om > '.s own is much to be prized a sort of second self, and if. you do not happen to be fortunate enough to possess one, don't lose sight of being a chum with yourself; then, make interests of your own. Lots of things touch your life that you do not realise: pictures, books, music, llowers, they pass before you and leave some impress, and you can call them to mind and enjoy over when you are alone with yourself. Ruskin says: "Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be as its close; then let every one of these short lives leave its sure record of some kindly thing done for others, some good strength and knowledge gained for yourself." t

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

"And the night shall be filled with music •1 And the cares that infest the day Shall folds their tents, like the Arabs, And as silently steal away." PLEASANT TO LIVE WITH The old berry woman had a rusty crepe veil on her hat when, after a noticeably long absence, she appeared oncc more at the kitchen door with the latest of the season's offering for sale. No, she had not been ill she explained in answer to 1 inquiries it was her sister, the one with whom she lived—and'the black veil told the rest of the story. "I don't s'pose she had no great gifts, what anybody'd call such," said the berry woman, completing her brtef biography, "but. she was one of them kind that's always easy to live with. She was cheery and easy pleased and knew how to turn rainy days to account. She didn't nag if you made and she could 'most, always think how you could turn 'em round some other way to make 'em come out right, j She was a real comfort times like that. 'Twasn't that we always thought alike we didn't nor that she was> one of them soft folks that always give, up right or wrong, but she was always wiil'in' to' laugh and tgive me half of the road. We've been together a good while. She was, always pleasant to live with.". She Avas just a humble, hardworking woman in a humble home. What her sister, standing there on the steps in the late summer sunlight? said of her is the only memorial she ever will have, yet many a famous name with biographies 'in every library, has not so good a memorial. We all can recall noted persons —statesmen, authors, philosophers—of whom lecturers speak glowingly, and whose written words are everywhere, who whatever their talents, were not agreeable at close range. They could not have bene range. They could- not have been them must have been made, unhappy by crabbed tempers and selfishness that seem to have been given free rein. Whatever they were to that great world outside, they w T ere no comfort makers in the homes where thfcy lived. As far as we are able to judge, many of the talents which are so pr'lzecl on earth will lose their usefulness with the earth but the gift of' being pleasant to live with is one we. shall certainly need in heaven if ever we are able to get there at all. And earth would be a great, deal more like heaven if only that particular gift Avere widely cultivated here. Think of the homes you know and the dispositions manifested in them, and then think of the. berry woman's description of the one aa'lio was cheerful easily pleased, sunny when the days were gloomy, and quick to turn mistakes into some good use. When opinions could not agree she could follow 7 her own course good-naturedly, ly accord the same right of choice to others. Is it any Avonder that, her presence was a comfort? When we come to think of it, the world 'is made up of home and of combinations, of individuals. We touch shoulders in one Avay or another Ave must live together, and it is no poor ideal to seek to make our presence help, comfort and good cheer to those about us.