Character and Conduct – 8 January – The Footpath to Peace

TO be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars;  to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them;  to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice;  to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts;  to covet nothing that is your neighbour’s except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners;  to think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends, and every day of Christ;  and to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit, in God’s out-of-doors-these are little guideposts on the foot-path to peace.

HENRY VAN DYKE

O, LORD, that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.

SHAKESPEARE

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing the her readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.