Random Reflections

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 361, 16 February 1937, Page 3

Random Reflections

By

“JOPPA.”

If you turn your head right round—that is, if you can—you will find that you have a backbone. Lots of people fieem Jo have quite overlooked that timple fact. You have a backbone and are meant to have one, which is a kind of parable, falling you to stand erect on your feet and to be yourself. It is pitiful, to see how many folk cringe round, wondering what other people will say, or think, or do. So many of us live in deadly fear of the other fellow’s opinion. “What will Mrs Jones tay?” And yet the mere fact that Mrs Jones spends her energy in criticising all her neighbours is 'a proof positive of the worthlessness of Mrs Jones' opinions. For the men and women who are trying effectively to do (heir own tasks in life in the first place find it takes all their energy, and further soon learn humility by the difficulties- encountered. If yqfe are trying to make someW*ing worthwhile of your own life <id work, you know how hard it is, how pitifully you have failed to reach your own ideals, and you havd in the ■ process learned sympathy and kindliness. Young people are hard in their > judgments because of inexperience, | They have not yet learned the difii- j culty of realising their ambitions'. So | the physically grown-up who are still j mentally children —and there are lots < of them about —retain the censorious- ! ness of youth, because they have i not learned the wisdom of experience. So don’t worry about them. Don't allow yourself to be dominated by the gossiping criticism of the incompetent. You will never find real happiness in living unless you determine te be yourself and to express yourtelf. The one contribution you have to offer to your fellows is what is peculiar and individual in yourself. That is what the great artist does ! in his art. He wiU not imitate; he will not be bound by rules; he goes his own way until, through much blundering, he is able to attain an expression of himself which the world cherishes as an addition to the worth arid wealth of life. In the" last generation ' the most famous and dominating literary critic in Londph was Sir Wilfiam Robertson Nicol, -tje.. was great at advising young authors and frying to mould their books. Brie sucn young author wrote a book and it was submitted to the great critic by a publishing firm to see if it was worthy of publication Nicol wrote to the author suggesting many alterations, but received the

.curt reply: “Dear sir,—My book . I doubtless has many faults, but if it ■is to be published, it must be pub- ; ' lished a;- I have written it. 1 aan as ; God has made me, and have no de’sire >I to be Nicol-plated.” That was the I I answer of a man who eventually became a famous writer. Success and happiness resulted from having me • courage to be himself. i That, of course, does not mean you s are not to be willing and even eagre to learn from others. Only an idiot i blunders along on his own, unwilling to take advice and to accept the criticism of wiser folk. But weigh the advice by asking: “How can I apply the inner principle suggested in the advice to my own special case?” What too many farmers are needing is the humility to grasp clearly I the principles of production being discovered by experience and scientific experiment and then the courage and patience to apply these principles with intelligence to the special needs ■of his own farm and his own condi- | tions. j You will find as a rule that those | who have not the pluck to be them- ! selves, find refuge in throwing the I blame on others. “The conduct of the ! other people in any situation has selj dom been perfect, and by concen- | trating their attention on the wickedI ness or stupidity of those other peo- | pie many persons escape attending to their own mistakes and follies.” So we blame the cat or the Governdent, or the banks —anything or anyone will do so long as we can avoid facing up to our own mistakes. Tills is the ghme so many of our European political leaders are engaged in today—fixing the guilt on the other chap. None of them consciously dishonest, but its so much easier to blame someone else and gives ourselves so warm a glow of imaginary I virtue. In a book written by a famous doctor I came across this: “My heart was once greatly moved by the pitiful account given of her pathetic state by a woman whose husband drank. And I continued to be greatly moved by the matter till I visited her house, and saw for myself how she treated her husband. After that 1 felt convinced that I also would take a drink if I have to live with her.” So to sum up these random reflections: “Don’t keep a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” JF it’s Paint, it’s Taubman’s! If Jt’s Taubman’s’, it’s the best. B. P. Bellringer. Sole Stratford Agent.