TACT AND HELPFUL PRAISE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 75, 5 May 1914, Page 4

TACT AND HELPFUL PRAISE.

Tact, discretion, forbearance, and concession are for ever necessary in daily life for women, perhaps, most of all. Tact can be acquired by forming a habit of avoiding what may annoy others or hurt their feelings, by deftly changing the drift of conversation when it is bearing toward a subject which is disagreeable or distressing to someone. Learning to be tactful should be made an earnest business. It is worth while. Forbearance. Math the peculiarities of others prevents friction. Concessions are in giving up insisting on having our own way and trying to look at things fairly from another's viewpoint. Practice in this will develop the beautiful trait of unselfishness, a quality that always wins. Praise is an encouragement, and often lifts a load and brightens a heart. Honest, sensible praise may be given always where it is due, just because it is deserved. ■' Many people are very free with words of blame, but very slow to give praise. Children often get more blame than praise, and are sometimes starving for a little warm" encouragement. Boys, if they are worth anything, will know how to accept praise in the right way, and will act up to the estimate put upon them, and will be hepled toward the next endeavour. A word of cheer will never hurt a man or a woman, but will give new energy and hope. In life's many relationships the need is to be human, to try to discover what is most needed, and to give it gladly. We need to cultivate the understanding heart. Human beings are not made of stone, but are living spirits. Personal kindness and sympathy are of vital importance to them. Relationships worth having grow out of what we ourselves are. There must be the genuine thing back in our minds, the integrity of intention which aims toward the highest ideals. It is not so much what we say as what we are that matters. Unconscious influence is often better than many words. We must be sincere, generous, considerate, gracious, courteous. We must learn the art of living for and with one another, and must discipline ourselves in thoughtful kindness, interest in others, whole-hearted .delight in their happiness, and a willingness to show our interest and pleasure.—Mrs Frank Learned, in the San Francisco."Examiner. "