Short Cuts to Far Horizons

Within our generation we have learned to do many things better than they have ever been done

within the memory of man. This efficiency has given us many material blessings almost beyond belief.

We have seen assembly lines and machines roll out material goods at a speed that not long ago

wouldn’t have appeared possible. We have seen the words of men travel with the speed of light, and

man himself on the moon. But one by-product of all this is the idea that we can make short cuts to any

destination we may have in mind. Those who suppose this fail to differentiate between material and

intangible things. We may make a car with ever-increasing speed, but we can’t build character faster

than a man lives, faster than he learns. We can increase household conveniences, but we can’t find

integrity where it isn’t. We can pour concrete across a racing river, but we can’t pour honesty,

faithfulness, and self-reliance into our children in any way except the old-fashioned way – the hard way,

as some would say. We may make over an industry in six easy steps, but beware of those who want to

make a man in six easy lessons – who offer poise and culture and talent and personality in a short time,

for a price and with a minimum of effort. These, and all the other elements of character don’t come

from the assembly line. Looking at it squarely, we must face the fact that there is no easy short cut to

any worth-while result where man himself is concerned. Those who ignore the rules and disregard the

commandments are deceiving themselves. Those who gamble against the basic laws of life aren’t

gambling at all – they are playing a sure game – a game they are sure to lose. No matter how difficult it

seems at times to live life with solid preparation and faithful, honest performance, it is, in reality, the

easy way, because no other way leads anywhere that anyone wants to go. And this all men would do

well to remember when they begin to look for short cuts.