Precept and Practice – JUNE 15 – Barriers

Some persons, at a concert or an opera, find their joy completely marred by the reflection that they are only shilling people, or sixpenny promenade people.   And others, even if they are not in the best places for hearing, give themselves up to the music in sheer enthusiasm – which is the way to the stars, if not to the boxes.   And it is the same throughout life.   Some see the barriers, and others see the drama.   Some of us find the promenade well worth while.   It is a great thing to be in a world with plays and operas and prima-donnas.   Yes – we might have better places;  but the crowd is friendly and kind.   We are glad those charming people yonder have a private box to themselves, but we are very well as we are.  Some one has just made room for us to lean against the wall!   And we go home at night, knowing that there will be a better day to-morrow – that in God’s universe each new day is a better day.

May Kendall

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From the Introduction to Precept and Practice

The kindly welcome given to my other little books, ‘Being and Doing’ and ‘Character and Conduct,’ must be my excuse for adding another collection of extracts to the number now in circulation.

The quotations are gathered from the books of many earnest thinkers, and deal with Life in all its length and breadth, with ourselves, our characters, our plain unvarnished faults and weaknesses, our often untoward circumstances, and with all that drags us down;-  with our purposes, our religion, our love and friendships, and with all that uplifts us;-  with our relation to others, our influence and responsibilities, and finally with those stages of our journey which bring us to the Road’s Last Turn and to the Silent Land.

CONSTANCE  M. WHISHAW