and the onlookers, are more or less unconscious.

 

The foolish Adams and Eves fret and strain against these processes of

development, and bewail their "mistake" in marrying; not seeing that the

association is really benefiting both. The wise Adams and Eves reduce

the friction by kindness, by co-operation with each other; Adam

tries to please Eve, Eve tries to please Adam, and both are kind about

it, wherefore in due time their appreciation for each other grows, and

mayhap their love grows with it. If love wanes instead of growing at

least they are friends, and can part as friends if they so desire.

 

Someone has well said that without a model husband there can be no model

wife. I believe it. As long as man and woman are held together by love,

attraction, or "conditions" (in its last analysis it is all the Law of

Attraction, or God) they are literally one, no matter how hard they

kick against the oneness; and neither man nor woman can alone be a

model, any more than one side of a peach can be entirely ripe and

sweet and the other side entirely hard and green.

 

So when I speak to Eve about tact and kindness I speak to the Eve in

Adam as well as in Eve herself.

 

And what I say of the attractions of man and wife applies equally well

to other family relationships, to friendships, to acquaintanceships and

even to our relationship to the people we pass on the street or the

heathen we never saw. Every person who touches us even in the

slightest degree, is drawn by the law of attraction because we need him

to bring out some latency in ourselves, and because HE needs us to help

develop some latency in him. IT IS OUR OWN HIGHEST DESIRES (the god in

us) WHICH CONSTITUTE THE ATTRACTION.

 

"Oh, but that can't be," you exclaim, "because So-and-So brings out

only the evil in me. He makes me feel so hateful and mean." Let us

see, dearie. The hateful and mean feelings are due to your RESISTING

that which his influence would bring out of you. For instance, you were

late at your appointment with him. Of course you thought you had a

good excuse; but if promptitude were one of your strong points,

instead of one of your latencies, you would have been on time in spite

of that excuse - if it were your habit to be on time you'd have swept

aside a much greater hindrance before you would have allowed yourself to

be behind time. Now So-and-so is naturally prompt and, having had some

experience with you he knew you were not; so when, he having arrived

fifteen minutes ahead of time as it is his nature to do, you came

tripping in fifteen minutes late - smiling confidingly as you excused

yourself (he, having spent the half hour in cultivating a grouch at you

for not being as prompt as himself) - he, of course, looked sulky and

answered shortly. Then you pouted and finally worked yourself into

quite a temper over his inconsiderateness and crankiness because of that