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“Never Say Die!”

(By Frederick J. Junker, Fireman and Acting Enginedriver, Westport.)

A good many people who think they lack self-confidence would find, with a little closer study, that their real trouble was due to an overplus of self-consciousness.

In many cases such self-consciousness has its root in the existence of some physical defect—such as lameness, stammering and the like. The victim is so conscious of his disability that he feels sure everyone else is equally conscious of it. It acts as a drag on all his activities, as a constant drain on his energies.

In the end he probably pities himself. And by doing this he helps no one—not even himself. Self-pity merely manufactures hatred—hatred of one's fellows, of the world, of life. Yet the sufferer may well take heart of grace as he looks through history.

Demosthenes will be famous for all time as the silver-tongued orator of ancient Greece. Yet Demosthenes stammered!

Mozart, one of Music's Immortals, did not let his disability stifle his genius. For Mozart had a defective ear!

Byron had a club foot; Pope was a cripple; Milton did his greatest work after he lost his sight. One and all they refused to be hampered. They wasted no time in self-pity. They refused to be self-conscious.

But there are too many people to whom Emerson's words would apply: “What you are stands over you and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.”

Don't let what you are blacken life with its shadow. Let what you will be, what you can be, guide your endeavours and your thoughts. If you lack in one direction, be sure you can weigh down the balance in another.

Obstacles can be overcome.

After all, what the world wants are the gifts you have—it cares nothing for those you lack.