How to Enjoy Life

HowAto Enjoy Life BY DR. CHARLES L. OLSEN There are many different views as to how and when one should give way to sense enjoyments, rather than to those spring- ing from the faculties of the soul. And why the difference in views? Because of difference in minds. Some people are prone to consider any pleasure traceable to the senses as being sinful and essentially degrading. Such views must be left out of con- sideration. All thoughtful people agree that it is both right and proper to "enjoy" life, to feast upon the beauties of creation as perceived through the natural senses. But how and when ? This strenuous life of ours and the modern, exacting mode of living often pre- clude the very thought of relaxation more than is absolutely de- manded by nature for regaining muscular strength and nervous tone. A great many of the toilers in this human hive never think of anything beyond such compensation. Yet they should ; for of all men the toilers are in greatest need of recreation. Many really intend spending, before they die, part of their time in recreation. But they sing, and they sing : "There is time enough for that," and so the self-promised enjoyment is postponed from time to time. Naturally, men differ as to the most oppor- tune period for recreation. Some aim to "enjoy life," say when they are fifty years of age. Some parents look longingly forward to the time when their children shall have grown up, and fancy that they shall then have an opportunity to fully enjoy existence. Others, again, put the matter off until their conditions in general shall be more favorable — some time, when they shall be better off financially ; when the farm is paid for, perhaps, or when all debts are liquidated, and the mortgages are lifted; when the youngest child has graduated from college; when an exceptionally hard ordeal is over, or an unpleasant experience is past. Under those conditions, one might just as well, now as later on, give up all hope of ever experiencing recreative pleasure, because diversions so long planned for are seldom realized. Untoward conditions — privation, sickness, accidents — are likely at any time to overtake us. The grains of sand in one's hour-glass may even run out much sooner than anticipated. Right' now, today, is the time to enjoy life, for tomorrow never comes. Parents, particularly, need this reminder. The youth of today need not be reminded, for they are certainly taking

II()W TO ENJOY LIFE 65 their share of enjoyment— full measure, pressed down and run- ning over. But you, father or mother, go visit that old sister of yours, whom you have not seen for so many years ; and who is so anxiously waiting for you. Go and see her now before she dies, when you will be compelled to attend her funeral— for decency's sake. Perhaps you are waiting for your son to finish school, so that he can do the work at home, while you take a trip visiting the brother you played with fifty years ago. He is ageing even- day ; so are you, — you would better go now ! You over-worked mother, who so early this morning arose, and by this time has done the family washing. This you did while those almost grown-up daughters of yours were at school, or in "Gym," or taking their music lessons. Now that the horse is hitched up and your husband, or your thoughtful son Johnny, insists upon your taking a ride, don't say : "Oh, no ; I have not the time for such a luxury; I must now start in and iron these clothes ; they are already dry, you see. Then I must hurry and get supper, for when the girls come home they have so man) lessons to get." Rather say: "Yes, thank you; you're right. I will ; I have made up my mind to have some enjoyment, to take some little pleasure, every day of my life." Put your coat on, and tie a veil over your hat. Stop for no primping. Get in the buggy or auto and take the ride. View the beautiful landscape ; enjoy the marvelous panorama of nature; fill your lungs with pure, life-giving oxygen ; relax for once — loosen the tension. Learn to appreciate and take advantage of your common opportunities. Few can afford the luxury of enjoyments bought with dollars and cents. Such enjoyment, anyway, is more im- aginary than real. Mansions, servants in livery to bow and scrape, the costliest equipages, Mediterranean cruises, or circum- navigating the globe, — in short, any and all contrivances and in- ventions signally fail in their purpose, because a kind and impar- tial Father has so ordained it, that his children cannot obtain real enjoyment by such means. The firmament above, with its countless orbs ; the earth in all its splendor, with her teeming millions; the majestic mountains and their lofty peaks ; the vast expanse of the mighty ocean, with its foaming billows and surging tide — all are, to be sure, grand beyond compare, and are inspiring in their nature. They bear mute — though not by any means silent — evidence of the unlimited power and indescribable greatness of the Majesty on high. But witnessing such unfathomable grandeur in nature may not con- stitute enjoyment to many mortals ; for it may be far and away beyond their conceptions. It may be too grand for puny man. True enjovment is found in appreciating as well the little things of life.

66 IMPROVEMENT ERA So, let us enjoy the small, every-day pleasures; for these are within the reach of all. We should train our mental faculties not only to understand and find pleasure in the grander objects of nature, but so that we can find enjoyment and relaxation from our daily grind in the more simple surroundings, like the scent of flowers ; rolling on the lawn ; sitting under the shady tree ; gazing at the twinkling stars ; in a walk, or a ride ; a friendly call, or in visiting a neighbor, and in the innocent prattle, frolic, and play of children. You wearied mother ; don't say, "I shall be so glad when my child is grown up, for he gives me no end of work." Try rather to enjoy his simple ideas while he is young; rejoice in his tender- ness, and strive to look for his lovable traits ; be glad that you have him as a child. These remembrances will be a comfort to you when his childhood years are gone. Ah ! the tender mother heart ! How it is filled with love, and what real enjoyment the mother finds in gazing upon the little mite of humanity, her baby boy: "My baby boy upon the pillow lies, Wonder forever old, forever new; And as I gaze, he opens wide bis eyes, Like violets kissed by dew. "They seek my face with love and rapture filled; That look of tenderness how well T know — The same his father wore, whose life death stilled Only a year ago. "Ah! will his boy be like him when he grows To be a main, afar from home's caress? Will he be nobler, braver, when he knows His father's worthiness? "His work is not begun; may he decide On one true Guide to lead him through life's days; Oh, may he stand the test when souls are tried. And follow virtue's ways. "And yet I dread the hour when manhood calls: He will not be as now my little child. So sruarded by his dear home's hallowed walls Where love and mother smiled. "B:it now, while he is mine and only mine, I'll fold him closely in warm arms of love, And feel the joy the world, ere I resign. Can never rob me of." And that is right: "feel the joy" — revel in the enjoyment of your little one, today; tomorrow may be too late. Let us remember that fate has favored only few with wealth, and those who are thus favored tell us that the quiet, simple

HOW TO ENJOY LIFE 67 pleasures within the reach of us all are the best. Therefore, let us appreciate the simple enjoyments we may find in our way. Let the rays of the sun warm our hearts and gladden our souls, and bring- blessings to us and our surroundings. You hard-working father and faithful provider, don't put off that long-since well-earned vacation. Don't wait until you have lived and struggled the required number of dreary, long winters to be reckoned ripe enough in years to have the honor of being "taken along" on an Old Folks' outing; don't wait, I say, for this excursion, until your years of manly intelligence are all passed, when, like a boy you sit down in the grass, laughing at your own childish jests, and allow yourself to be crowned like a court-fool with wreaths of flowers, and to be otherwise "decorated"— to the amusement of children and the merriment of the young and giddy. Get some real, though innocent, enjoyment out of your life, now, while it means something to you, and is of some value, both to yourself and to those with whom you live. For surely [Ecc. 12], "The years draw nigh, when "thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them [one gets old], * * * when the keepers of the house [the head of the household] shall tremble [with in- firmity], and the strong men shall bow themselves [i. e., men, who used to be strong and straight shall be bent over with age], and the grinders cease because they are few [of the teeth, but few are left, and those few cease to 'grind; or to masticate the food prop- erly], and those that look out of the windows be darkened [vision, — 'looking' through the orbits of the eyes as one would through windows,— grows dim] ; * * * also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, [one's agility is lacking — one dare not trust himself to take a high step], and fears shall be in the way [self- confidence is gone], * * and desire shall fail [one no longer cares for anything in particular] : because man goeth to his long home [he dies], and the mourners go about the streets" [i. e., the be- reaved and others who attend the funeral, go "to their several places of abode"]. And that is the end of earth life. See? MURRAY, UTAH Wireless telephone communication across the continent was ac- complished for the first time, September 29, when the human voice was successfully transmitted from the naval plant at Arlington, Virginia, to Mare Island, California, 2,500 miles away. Communica- tion from New York to California and from New York to the Panama Canal was also established. "The problem of trans-oceanic communica- tion has been solved; also the baffling problem — a perfect connection between the telephone wire and the wireless ether," making it pos- sible eventually to connect every telephone with an air line for any- where.