Vol.XII No.VI Pg.8
August 1975

Stuff About Things

Robert F. Turner

Sometime very early in life I became convinced that life was good and that I was going to be happy with my part of it. Perhaps my mother told me so, or maybe it was just the psychology of a happy childhood. Anyhow, it was a factual reality — not emotional or mystical. Mamma said if we did the right thing all would turn out well. Doing the right thing meant to work hard, be clean and honest, and be satisfied with what we got. Laugh if you want to — and be unhappy. Ill continue to believe it, and prosper.

It seems like self-deception to tell yourself that you are lucky, but once you get the hang of it you may find it is so. Of course one must learn how to look at the experiences of life. Disappointments come, but they will so often be the beginning of something better that we can assign them a place in our education. It becomes a challenge to see how we can take advantage of them.

There is no secret to a good life. If you have nothing but a cave for an abode, clean it out. Square up the walls a bit, and dig a vent so the smoke can escape. Build a rock garden at the entrance. You may sell it to some hippy for a pile of bread. The idea is to use what you have. There are those whose dreams hang in space, unrelated to where they are. But dreams must have foundation, and we must learn to see what we are and what we have as related parts of our future. This is where we begin, and with this we must build. Thats why you are so lucky to have what you have. It is specially suited to the dream you are capable of realizing.

An alcoholic who lost all and was at the bottom of the ditch — decided to, use what he had (experience) to keep others from coming to this end. He remade his life (and was surprised to find it so) by giving it to others. And what is truly true in this life is equally true with reference to our spiritual life, and beyond. Jesus said, he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it (Matt. 10:39). This life can be a bottomless pit, or a place for joyful hopeful living.

Mamma said to give freely to the Lord, save a little, and learn to live on the rest. We had to abandon the saving part at times, but made it on the other. Of course we have always been lucky. If we die broke we will have used our blessings fully and how much luckier can you get?