Character and Conduct – 14 September – Bearing Sorrow

SORROW brings also a temptation to exactingness.   It may be that friends are very helpful to us. Let us take care that no selfishness mingles with our love for their companionship, with our claims for their sympathy.

What, for the time, at any rate, is all the world to us, can only be a small part of another’s life.

And one must struggle, as time goes on, to take what comes in one’s way of sympathy, of kindness, of companionship, but one must also try never to exact sympathy, to allow ourselves to feel neglected, or slighted, or forgotten.

This is a hard lesson – sometimes.

The whole of one’s nature becomes sensitive, easily wounded, easily depressed.

Canon SCOTT HOLLAND

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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 them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.