Letter to Kitty

Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 5

Letter to Kitty

Kitty, my dear, You know, we are fortunate people, we Southlanders; we have at our back doors (figuratively speaking) all the best that land can produce; therefore we have healthy bodies and healthy bodies mean healthy minds. We live simple lives, the same from day to day and peppered occasionally with pleasant excitements. We are far removed from the trials and tribulations that beset the old world and if we are wise we leave deep thinking to deep thinking men. Yet a little deep thinking now and then does no one any harm. We like to wag our heads in a knowing way and discuss politics, world peace, economics and disarmament and so I suggest that we turn our deep thinking to ourselves for a short while. It is spring time and since our houses are about to be spring-cleaned let us spring clean our minds.

Retrospection, of course, is not to be encouraged—it is definitely unhealthy and the best cure for it is a purgative Nevertheless a little self-contemplation won’t cause much harm. Let each one of us ask herself, “Am las happy and contented as I should be?” If the answer is "yes,” well and good, but if it is “no,” then let her search until she finds the reason why and then let her proceed to rectify matters. It is up to each one of us, Kit, to make outlives as happy and contented as we can; others can help us to a certain extent, but it lies chiefly in our own hands.

Let each one of us ask again, "Am I as kind and agreeable to others as I should be?” And again, “Am I possessed of enough patience and understanding for others and their frailties?” And yet again, “Have I made the best of popmyortunities and is my knowledge increasing with the years?’ ’

Let us find the answers to these and many other questions, my dear, and by so doing hope to make better citizens and wiser people of ourselves. It may seem superficial to many of us, yet we attend conscientiously to the daily round, so shall we attend to ourselves for a change? Sorry if I’ve preached, JANE.