| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 23 |
Page 6 |
Of course, we may say that none of these reasons are sufficient to excuse the man for the unpleasant and disagreeable qualities in him which so mar the beauty of his disposition, and give so much pain and discomfort to others. True, he ought to keep loving and gentle and cheerful, no mater what is wrong with him, or has gone wrong with his affairs. Yet we should be charitable, considering ourselves, let we also lose our sweetness some day when the wind is from the east. If only we could lift the veil that covers people’s inner lives, and see all that is going on within, all that makes it hard for them to keep glad hearted and songful, we would be more charitable toward all.
“If we knew the cares and trials,
Knew the efforts all in vain,
And the bitter disappointment,
Understood the loss and gain,
Would the grim external roughness
Seem, I wonder, just the same?
Should we help where now we hinder?
Should we pity where we blame?
“Oh! We judge each other harshly,
Knowing not life’s hidden force,
Knowing not the fount of action
Is less turbid at its source;
Seeing not amid the evils
All the golden grains of good.
Oh! We’d love each other better
If we only understood.”
Page 6