Reflections That Shall Make Me Happy

REFLECTIONS THAT SHALL MAKE ME HAPPY* By W. H. Boyle, Assistant Professor of Education When the curtain of my life is- rung down, I shall be happy if I have been more interested in men than money, and if I have had more joy in accumulating friends than material treasures. I shall be glad then that I have had joy in simple, unaffected sociability, that I have been glad to be courteous to friends and considerate of neighbors and, by so doing, their souls have been warmed and their hearts made glad. I shall be glad if I have been more interested in the care of others than in a career for myself. 'I shall be glad if I have not been so engrossed in my own selfish little projects that I could not see and understand the heroic efforts of those about me. That I have had joy in their success and compassion and sympathy in their seeming failures. I shall be glad if I have been generous with my time and money; if I have gained other talents, and kept peace with the inner monitor of my soul. I shall be glad then if jl have been loyal to leaders, true to friends, courageous in difficulties, and that I tried faithfully to carry un- complainingly my portion, that I shirked not my obligations, and that without malice or criticism or envy I climbed with others like me the hills of life's responsibility. I shall be glad if I have discharged my duties as a true American citizen and stood for principle against both friends and foes, in spite of temporary failure. I shall be iglad if I have not chilled a truly religious zeal in anyone, or damaged or destroyed the faith of any living soul. I shall be happy if I have scorned meanness, loathed false pretense, despised dishonesty, hated hypocrisy, and abhorred self-seeking expediency. I shall be happy if my gains have come through pains and not through craft or fraud. I shall be happy if I have not deserted the man and the woman who gave me birth, and that through dishonesty or cowardice I have not disgraced their name, and that instead of suffering I have brought respect, reverence, and honor to their memory, and transmitted these high qualities to those who came to me. I shall be glad if I have been true to the maiden who came to me in my young manhood, and that I have known the meaning of sweetheart, wife and kiddies, and shall be glad if I have been good company for my own children. I shall be happy, if, when my path grew steep and my burdens heavy, and my strength failed, I did not complain, but with a smile *Four-minute address given to the students assembled at Brigham Young University.

740 IMPROVEMENT ERA took a new start with renewed faith in a happy, successful journey's end, not afraid or ashamed to meet those who have gone before and by them receive a joyous welcome home. Then can I say with the poet laureate of Georgia, in his last poem which was given-to the public as he was laid to rest: Going Home By Frank L. Stanton Adieu, sweet friends — I have waited long To hear the message that calls me home, And now it comes like a low, sweet song Of welcome over the river's foam. And my heart shall ache and my feet shall roam No more — no more; I am going home — Home, where no storm, where no tempest raves, In the light of the calm, eternal day; Where no willows weep over lonely graves And the tears from eyelids are kissed away, And my soul shall sigh and my feet shall roam No more — no more; I am going home. As Unto Him He who would not his duties shirk, Must learn to plan, as well as work — An addage old, and very true. Now let me say some things to you : The work is here, it musfi be done; And all of you must help us some. For if your part you fail to do, Whom shall we ask, instead of you? So lend a hand, and push with us, Nor ever grumble; do not fus. The Church is struggling hard to find The honest heart; the willing kind, Who will each deed perform in love, As unto him who dwells above. No other plan will fill the need, Nor stand out as a living deed. Shirk not from tasks, though hard they seem, Nor waste thy day in idle dream, But pray, and ever trust thy Friend, He will be with you to the end. And say, It's good for us to work, But bitter, if we dare to shirk; For then the adversary's near, He as an angel may appear. But fear not — fresh courage take, In Jesus' name — and for his sake Rexburg, Idaho. MARY M. STOWERS.