"NEVER WORRY."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 9 April 1908, Page 3

"NEVER WORRY."

In a lecture on "How not to grow old" Dr. Stenson Hooker recently gave his aaaience the old, unfailing xecipe, put into two short -wands— "Never Tponty." That is the advice which people always give other people. It is also the advice which other people never take. It is very easy indeed never to worry about our friends' affairs. When we hear that a neighbor has lost all his money, is threatened with starvation, has influenza, and that all his children are dying, we can always go to him and say "Don't worry," Th&n we can set him an excellent example by not worrying about it ourselves. We can go home, immediately, and. forget all about it.

But now suppose that, when we get home, we find a letter on the table. It is from our banker. It explains that we, too, have lost a fortune, that we are overdrawn at the bank, and that no more credit will be allowed. Meanwhile on the table are also bills — 'many of them. We frown and begin to look anxious. What is this ? Can it be possible ? Yes ; we. are beginning to worry. Now suppose—to complete our imaginary picture of the* way in which worries arise — thai we next, in the stress of our new troubles, come across the afflicted neighbor, to wnom, just now, we- gave the old, excellent advice. He gives it back to us again. He tells us not to fret, and clearly shows us how easy he finds it to endure our troubles. We are annoyed. Possibly we show our. :\-isndly neighbor the door.

We I:-; l to realise that the "don't worry" aJ ice is a trifle irritating, because it i plies that people worried, as it were, -...i purpose. It implies that each of i ; every now and again, says to himself .;,r herself : "Come. Let me be tmxious a little. There is no cause for it. v - But perhaps it may do me good." That, however, is not what 'happens. What happens is that ciTctunstaoices force worry upon one. The worry is not only In ourselves, but partly in. the circumstances. Let the circumstances clear and the anxiety goes. Nobody hut convinced melancholia-maniacs worry in vacuo, about nothing. Those who do so are recognised as being ill, and aTe taken to rest-homes or asylums. When/a man is knocked down by a motor-ominibiis it is no good ruinning up to him, just as the wheel is about to, pass over his chest, amd saying: "Don't vrojtxy." You must not be surprised, if you do ®o, that the man, with his dying breath, murmurs bad language at you. It is the same with moral motor-omni-buses. They are seen approaching at a great rate in the distance. They are [ about to roll us (flat, as Juggernant c»ts might do/ In such a position it is better, Turith every effort that can conceivably be made, to get out of the reach of the car, than to stand in the way smiling and tryjng not to worry. In truth this "never worry" counsel is very friendly, yery kindly, very well-meant. Only it is no use. It is too philosophical. It is formed on the stoical theory that "It is in our power to thinK as we will^amd that circumstances, or what happens outside ourselves, need have no influence upon our thoughts. So the philosophers think. But watch them in real life. They are an anxious erew — always worrying. What, then, is the real -fcecipe for youth, for, health, for happiness, for perfect mental serenity*- Rather than "Never ■worry." it is "Have nothing to worry about." It is "Don't £et ill; don't be poor, don't do or suffer anything- unpleasant." It is. above all. have a fixed income and- stick to it. This, you say, is again very difficult advice. So it is. 1 But no more difficult, certainly, than ■ not worrying when moral motor-omni- 1 buses are rolling over you chest! j