Character and Conduct – 8 May – Without Jar or Jostle

LET us give everybody a right to live his own life, as far as possible, and avoid imposing our own peculiarities on another.

If we were to picture a perfect family, it should be a union of people of individual and marked character, who, through love, have come to a perfect appreciation of each other, and who so wisely understand themselves and one another, that each may move freely along his or her own track without jar or jostle – a family where affection is always sympathetic and receptive, but never inquisitive – where all personal delicacies are respected – and where there is a sense of privacy and seclusion in following one’s own course, unchallenged by the watchfulness of others, yet withal a sense of society and support in a knowledge of the kind dispositions and interpretations of all around.

In treating of family discourtesies, I have avoided speaking of those which come from ill-temper and brute selfishness, because these are sins more than mistakes.   An angry person is generally impolite;  and where contention and ill-will are, there can be no courteousness.   What I have mentioned are rather the lackings of good and often admirable people, who merely need to consider in their family-life a little more of whatsoever things are lovely.   With such the mere admission of anything to be pursued as a duty secures the purpose;  only in their somewhat earnest pursuit of the substantials of life, they drop and pass by the little things that give it sweetness and perfume.

HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

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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.