Precept and Practice – JUNE 21 – Emotional Baggage

Any one as radically efficient as Catherine Thurso undoubtedly was, has to march through life with as few impedimenta as possible, and all emotional baggage which is not likely to be needed must be firmly left behind.   She had long ago realised, and had always acted on it, so that now it was more from force of habit than by any conscious effort that she eliminated from her mind any emotion on its first appearance if it was likely to clog or hinder her energies.   Worry, sorrow, regret for all that was past or irremediable, she simply threw away as one throws the envelopes of opened letters into the waste-paper basket.   They were of no earthly use;  they but made an unprofitable litter if they were allowed to lie about, nor did you want the drawers and compartments in your brain crammed with rubbish like this, 

E. F. Benson (The House of Defence)

You will succeed best when you put the restless, anxious side of affairs out of mind, and allow the restful side to live in your thoughts.

Margaret Stowe

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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