| The Best Things in Life |
Chapter 2 |
Page 7 |
There always are comforts, not matter how great the sorrow. Every cloud has on it some bit of silver lining. There are hopes, consolations, encouragements, in every experience of grief or loss, and we are to think of these and not alone of the sad elements in the experience. One chill day a beam of sunshine, coming into the parlour through the shutters, made a bright spot on the carpet. The little dog that had been lying in a dark corner of the room got up at once and went and lay down in the patch of sunshine. That is what we should do in our larger life. When, into any darkness or gloom of ours, even the faintest ray of light streams, we should accept it, and sit down in its brightness. There is reason for gratitude in the most bitter experience – we should find that and enjoy its brightness. We should turn our eyes from the clouds and look at the stars.
“Live in the sunshine–God meant it for you;
Live as the robins, and sing the day through.”
Think of the good, not the evil. Think on the loveliness, not on the disfigurements. Think on the pure, not on the soiled. Think on the hopeful things in men, their possibilities of nobleness, not on their faults. In sorrow find the Face of Christ, and gaze on that till you forget your grief. In all life, if there be any virtue, any praise, any beauty, any joy, think on these things, and it will lift up your life into strength, nobleness, divineness.
Page 7