to do better work. They carried off the school prizes under her

admiring eyes, and ran straight to lay them in her lap and receive that

proud and happy smile of hers.

 

Her husband worked like a slave with the heart of a king. She thought

him the best, bravest, brightest of men, and told him so a dozen times a

day, besides looking it every time he came in range of her big, loving

brown eyes and smooth, rosy cheeks.

 

I never heard of an unkind word in that family, and those six children

grew up into splendid young manhood and womanhood. Their mother is still

the blessed sun of their existence. She is prettier, healthier and

happier now, and so proud of her fine children.

 

And she is up-to-date. She has studied and read with her whole family

and is interested with them in the world's present events, art,

literature and religion.

 

Do you think that woman ever complains of loneliness, or "tries so hard"

to draw husband or children "nearer"? No. She long ago chose the "one

thing needful" - a faith-full heart. Her physical strength would not

bear much strain without depressing her faith-full-ness; therefore she

left the physical labor out, as less important. To her the Life was

more than meat or raiment, so she ministered to the Life - to the joy of

living. A stronger woman, physically, could have ministered more

efficiently to the physical side without neglecting the "one thing

needful." This woman chose the better part and stuck to it; and

results prove her righteousness.

 

The foolish woman looketh upon the outward appearance and is troubled

over many things. She wears herself out trying to keep the outside

immaculate and grieves her heart out because she misses the one thing of

great price, the joy of loving and being loved, of trusting and

being trusted.

 

Do you know that we are never far away from anybody? We are close,

so close to our husbands; our children; our friends; even to our

enemies if we have them; and to those we never saw or heard of. We are

all One. Your soul is MY SOUL TOO. Only our bodies are at all

separated, and they are separated only as the harbor is separated from

the sea. Our bodies are but inlets of One Great Soul; and they are but

the smallest part of ourselves. Is it then not foolish to try to draw

another nearer? Why, we are now so near we can't be nearer; we are

One. Why strive to do what is already done?

 

Ah, you see, we work from a false hypothesis. We are so concerned with

the many things on the outside that we lose sight of inside truths.