You Can't "Save" Time   April 24, 1949

One of the relentless things about life is that it is passing. Time spends itself no matter what we do with it. It moves at its own pace, and we can’t “save” any part of it. The...

Work--and Human Happiness   July 17, 1949

There are many sentiments that could be cited on the subject of work. Among them is this sentence by a wit who was wary of work: “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for...

Turning Down Dares   November 27, 1949

For some unexplained reason it is sometimes supposed to be embarrassing not to do what someone else dares us to do. But why should it be considered smart or courageous or commendable to do some...

Things We Have to Leave to Time   October 2, 1949

If we were to call for self-confession, we might well have a large showing of hands from those who have sometime planted seeds but who couldn’t wait for shoots to show above the surface and so...

The Worst That Could Happen   May 22, 1949

For our present purpose, suppose we presume that the worst we fear were actually going to happen. Suppose that civilization were surely doomed. Suppose that all men and all moral and material values...

The Record   February 27, 1949

The Question of Running Away   January 9, 1949

Are you surprised…that after such long travel and so many changes of scene you have not been able to shake off the gloom and heaviness of your mind? You need a change of soul rather than a...

The Pursuit of Happiness   April 3, 1949

There are some fine distinctions to be found in the now immortal phrase, “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Life is an eternal fact; liberty, and inalienable right. But with...

The Importance of Principles   September 4, 1949

Every man should have a set of sound principles to which he can turn when any proposal is presented to him. When people have a sound and accepted set of principles, the everyday decisions of life...

The Fallacy of Averages   June 12, 1949

The End From the Beginning   August 7, 1949

The Conduct of One Hour   December 11, 1949

There is an old oriental proverb which reads, “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.” Sometimes it may not seem to be just and fair for such...

Thanks--for Such "Simple" Things   November 20, 1949

One way of finding out how much we have to be thankful for, is to give up some of our blessings and see how grateful we would be to have them back. Consider for a moment just one seemingly simple...

So Take Your Choice   February 13, 1949

With a limited amount of money, we can’t buy everything. With a limited amount of life, we can’t be everything. Much as we may wish it were otherwise, whenever we decide to do one thing,...

Pressure and Procrastination   December 18, 1949

We wouldn’t change the giving of gifts or the festivities or the feasting. We wouldn’t eliminate the lights or the trimming of trees or the fond conspiracy about presents of the...

Precedent Is Important, But--   December 4, 1949

Suppose that someone who needs something approaches us for some service⎯a service that is reasonable and honorable and easily within our reach. And suppose that we hide behind the actual or alleged...

Other People's Opinions   January 30, 1949

On Waiting for Ideal Conditions   May 1, 1949

On Sparing the Children and Others   May 8, 1949

On Returning to the Pattern of the Past   August 21, 1949

We sometimes waste too much of the present in waiting for the return of the pattern of the past. Much as we may wish it were otherwise, things are never again exactly as once they were. And whatever...