Mary's “At Home”

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 2, 15 August 1941, Page 165

Mary's “At Home”

TpRFEND MARY, — I, too, join your “At Home”? Note I write “friend,” because your last two messages helped me so much in your “From Me to You.” I always love to think that friends are given to us for wo purposes— to help us; and also other friends which we are meant to. help. I live m the country, but have been blessed with many friends all over our islands, whom I . have learnt to know mainly through pen and paper, so I just want you to know that I have already found your page a friend that is meant to help me. One writer truly says, “The true friend seeks to. give, not to take, to help, not to be helped, to minister, not to be ministered unto.” -Country Girl, Southland. T WOULD like to tell you of an inA fallible cure for the “nothing’s really, worth while” feeling and for the war blues which beset us all at times. I

find my comfort in a small girl, not my own. She came into our childless household, a year ago, during those terri'ble days when France fell, and when each morning we awoke with a, great we 'jght on our hearts, dreading what the d might bring, we found in our enchanting age „,, .7 ,j- , x . ’ . of thre J’ that distraction from worrymg which we could not find in our baobs music, . or other occupations, Wb .° could give thoughts to fretting wltb a strange little personality to watch unfolding, a child s endless, artlesa Questions to answer, a little play“ate alwas wanting to play? Truly, loving and caring for a child is the best Possible occupation m time of stress, and the greatest encouragement to believe that a better world will yet arise, since it is this generation that will build it. But, oh, how a small, confiding child in one’s home wrings

the heart with the, thought of the little children of Europe! Marguerite, Havelock North. <JOME people pity us women who live ' in the country, but they do not know it as those who love it do. In these days ■’ of stress I feel it is good to set aside for a While the everyday tasks and go out 'of doors into the quiet, to see and to listen in the beauty of the world about us. How glorious are the sunrises and sunsets; the cloud shadows on the hills and valleys, the starry skies at night, the soft light of the moon. -Gone are our jarred tempers and nerves, for God has given us back our necessary strength and poise that we need in these days of anxiety. We may only be able to spare a few minutes, but it is so worth-while.— Peggy, Pleasant Point. • J DIFFER from our friend “John-in-the Middle” re trees and their passing, because I love to see a harvesting of anything, fulfilment as it is. To see the saws ripping musically through sturdy logs- is ever a joy as one thinks of the many and valued uses of the finished wood. If we didn’t fell them, what chance have the young seeds and

saplings coming in behind? Nature has her-way, and we all grow old.— Mrs. Vee, Waikato. T AM a firm believer in the fact that 1 our lives are mapped out for us when we are born. We might go quite a long way down one road without seeing the end, but, given time, the reason usually appears. Looking back over my tips and, downs, I can now see the reason for everything that has happened, although often at the time I wondered just why I had to do that particular job. I always try. to re-

member that accidents never happen — everything that happens is meant to happen, although sometimes it is to teach us a lesson, and sometimes to teach someone else, through us, a lesson. — Biddi-Jan, Redclififs. A rpHE shortest day is over, but not yet X the cold ones. Indeed, we have most of us moralised over the old “as the days lengthen, so the cold strengthens.” It always seems such a pleasant part of children’s education to learn to care for small creatures. I wonder if any of your good neighbours think this old verse worth teaching children to repeat: I The wee birds sit among the trees, Their fare this day is sparin’, The cauld an’ bitin’ frosty \ winds We human mortals share in. The guid folks help the wee birds tae A ' crust they’ll welcome shairly. Extend the human touch this day, For this is winter fairly. \ —Manaia, Wanganui.

AFTER reading the points : stated as V necessary for the perfect wife, I ! found them entirely unworthy suggestions for women of our age, which gives the woman,, the same rights as the man lias monopolised for so long. Maybe I take things too seriously, but a woman who believes in the equality of the partners in marriage, who . believes firmly that , the wife should go shoulder to shoulder with her . hus- - band, cannot but think those rules frivolous. The women of today are toys no more, nor do they see in their husbands tyrants who have to be petted and spoiled in order to keep them good-humoured. In particular,

the New Zealand farmer’s . wife would not dream of seeing herself in such a light, as she so valiantly takes het share of the hard work on a fartm These wives, who are so generous ill their simple and uncomplaining acceptance, of hard labour and long hours in the kitchen and shed, they have hO need to purr round their husbands like selfish kittens. They are the best a wife can be: loyal comrades to their meh. Who, seeing this,. asks for perfection?'— Kati Kati. JT was great fun writing my entry for the competition, although I got pretty ' bored with my “perfect wife.” Wouldn’t it be horrid to live with a person who was perfect? You would always know what she was going to say or do, > and how she would think and speak. Thank goodness it is not natural- for a human being to be perfect. Farm life is wonderful, but I often wish that there was more time for other’ things. Nevertheless, the peace of the country, the lovely views, and loads of fresh, pure air, together with many other things, are of more than ordinary value, don’t you think? —D.M.R., Waikato. HTHE boys in Egypt must have some A ' y fun sometimes, anyway! I had a letter from a soldier friend who had spent some of his leave in Cairo. Walking down the street, he found himself besieged by the natives, begging him to buy their wares. He didn’t understand their jabber, but in an effort to rid himself of them, he finally bought some -unknown article from a native woman. The coins changed hands, and imagine the soldier’s surprise when the native woman unstrapped the baby from her back,' and handed it to him! It must have been hard work 1 , for that lad to persuade the native that he didn’t want a baby to take back to camp!- Billie, Blenheim. ■ - A

..illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll! YOUR EYES Star-bright and beautiful your eyes, My very dear, Surely the gods themselves knew not Such eyes so clear, And surely no nymph or goddess Ever will see Such shining lamps of love as Your eyes to me. , ''HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM