| The Ministry of Comfort |
Chapter 18 |
Page 5 |
It is a misfortune to a young man to be born rich, not to have to ask, “What shall I do for a living?” unless he has in him the manly courage to enter life as if he were a poor man and to learn to work as if he must indeed earn his bread by the sweat of his own brow. There is no other way to grow into manly character. There is no other way to make life worth while.
We are very foolish, therefore, certainly very short sighted, to quarrel with the disagreeable in our lot, of whatever sort it is. The disagreeable is inevitable. We cannot find all things just to our own mind, in even the most perfect human lot in this world. Nor could we afford to miss the things that are less pleasant, that are even painful. We shrink from life’s hard battles, but it is only through struggle and victor that we can reach the fair heights of honour and win the prizes of noble character. We dread sorrow, but it is through sorrow’s bitterness that we find life’s deepest, truest joy. We hold our life back from sacrifice, but it is only through losing our life that we can ever really save it. If we have faith and courage to welcome struggle, cost, pain, and sacrifice, we shall find our feet ever on the path to the best things in attainment and achievement in this world and the highest glory at the last.
“Then welcome each rebuff
That turns earth’s smoothness rough,
Each sting that bids nor sit nor stand, but go!
Be our joys three parts pain!
Strive and hold cheap the strain;
Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe!”
Page 5
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