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CHAPTER VIII. THE
HEART OF WOMAN. "My wife
has fallen in love with another man. She keeps house for me and I am trying to
show her all the love I can but it seems to have no effect upon
her. I love her dearly and desire to win her back. What should be my
attitude toward her and toward the man?" A.J. (who is one of many who
have thus written me.) Goodness
knows! Be good and you will know. In other words, be just to all three before
you are generous to anybody. Of course that is not easy to do, but it
is possible; and it is the only thing you can never be sorry for
afterward. First, get
down to first principles. There are three INDIVIDUALS concerned -
three separate and complete beings, each with his inherent right of
choice. Nobody owns anybody else; nobody "owes" anybody else anything in
the way of "duty." Each individual stands on his or her own two feet and
makes an effort at least to go where he or she will find the most happiness. Every one of
these three Individuals has made mistakes - he or she has thought
happiness was to be found in this place, or that. He or she has made the
choice and trotted on his or her two feet to this place or that, only to
find happiness was not there as he or she supposed. We don't always
know what is for our happiness. But goodness knows! - and all our
mistakes work together for ultimate happiness. In the truest
sense there are no mistakes; a mistake being simply a case where
things failed to come out as we calculated. They came out right
nevertheless. That is, they came out right for our enlightenment. By them we
grew in wisdom and knowledge. Next time our judgment will be better. The wife in
this case no doubt thinks just now that her marriage to A.J., was
"all a terrible mistake." If so she is making another "mistake."
That is, she is thinking what "ain't so." Whatever experiences
she has had with A.J. were drawn to her by herself, for her own
enlightenment and development. They were all good. It may be that
she and A.J. have gained from their association all there is in
it. Doubtless the wife thinks a separation and a new marriage would
make her supremely happy. May be it would. May be her judgment is
right this time.
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