Work has been looked upon as a curse. This is a mistake. Those who live
in the hope and expectation that they may some day cease working in
order to enjoy life, will find when they reach the goal that life
without work is not worth while. Those who can afford it can with
benefit lessen the amount of productive work they do and evolve more
into cultural lines, but it is dangerous to cease working. The human
being is so constituted that without activity of body and mind there is
degeneration. What is sadder than to see a capable individual who has
won a competence and then has retired to enjoy it! He does not enjoy it.
Either he has to get into some line of work, physical or mental, or he
soon dies. We must have a lively interest in something or there is
stagnation.
There are many beautiful things in life, and we should cultivate them
while we are young enough to be able to learn to enjoy them. The
loftiest spirits of the ages have left their inspirations and their
aspirations with us in poetry, prose, music, painting, statuary and in
other forms. We should try to cultivate understanding of these subjects,
not necessarily all of them, but of one or more, for with understanding
come the elevation and broadening of mind that are always present when
there is sympathy, and sympathy is closely related to understanding.
Pages:
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549