Part 3 (1/2)

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_.

_Take your husband's nearness for granted_. Be not troubled over the many things of appearance. _Have faith in him_. If there is any ”drawing nearer” to be done see that _you_ draw near to him _in faith and love_.

Instead of mentally or verbally sitting down on his motives, words or acts, _try to feel as he does, that you may understand him_.

AS WE GEOW IN UNDERSTANDING OF ANOTHER WE GROW IN LOVE AND REALIZATION OF OUR NEARNESS TO THAT ONE. _In proportion as we dislike or are repelled by any person_ OR HIS ACTIONS, _in that proportion we fail to understand him_.

As one human being is revealed to another the sense of nearness grows.

Now do you imagine that distrust and censure will help a soul reveal itself? Of course not. But if you can be comfortable and indulgent to a man, and especially if you can cultivate a real admiring confidence in him, he will unfold his very heart of hearts to you. It is _you_ who must come near in faith and love, if you would find your husband near to you.

To sum up:

1. You and your husband ARE close together--so close you are _One_.

_2_. If you would _feel_ the truth of this you must come to your husband in faith-full love, and you _must not allow yourself_ to condemn or judge, verbally or mentally, his revelations of himself. You must vibrate _with_ him where you can, and _keep still in faith_ where you can't understand him and meet him.

3. You must persist in thus doing, until faith and love and understanding become the habit of your life.

4. The same rules apply if you would feel your nearness to any other person, _or to all persons_.

Every man is in embryo a good and thoughtful and loving husband. A wise wife will give him the loving, full-of-faith, appreciative atmosphere which encourages development.

”We are all just as good as we know how to be, and as bad as we dare be.” _And we are all growing better_. Why not chant the beauties of the good instead of imagining it our ”duty” to eternally bark against the bad?

It is said there cannot be a model husband without a model wife, and _vice versa_. True. Then if yours is not a model husband _don't a.s.sume that you are a model wife fitted to judge and admonish him_.

Be still and get acquainted with him.

Make it your _first_ object in life to cultivate a serene and faith-full heart and aura.

As a means toward this end cultivate a _full_ appreciation of whatever and whoever comes near you. Cultivate the spirit of praise; and _trust_ where you cannot see.

Second, take _good_ care of your body and personal appearance. Allow plenty of time for bathing, caring for your hair, nails, teeth, and clothing. Wear plain clothes if need be, but DON'T wear soiled or ragged ones. And don't ever put a pin where a hook or b.u.t.ton ought to be. No man can continue to love a woman who is slatternly.

Third, allow at least an hour _every_ day for reading and meditating on new thought lines, _and for going into the silence. Let nothing rob you of this hour, for of it will come wisdom, love and power to meet the work and trials of all other hours. Remember the parable of the ten virgins and take this hour for filling your lamp, that you be ready for the Unexpected. Only in such hours can you lay up love, wisdom and power which will enable you to make the best of the other hours. Let not outward things rob you of your source of power_.

Fourth, unless you wish to fall behind the world's procession see that you spend some time every day in reading the best magazines and newspapers, taking pains to skip most of the criminal news. Read optimistically and cultivate a quick eye for all the good things. Take the _best_ magazines even if you have to leave feathers off your hat and desserts off your table. If you can find an _interesting_ literary club it might be well to join it and do your part of the work. But see that you do not _rob_ the Peter of your energies to pay the Paul of club ambitions.

And fifthly comes your housework. This is the juggernaut department which grinds many a woman to skin and bones--and her husband discards the remains! When it comes to housekeeping a woman has need of all the love, wisdom and power she can muster in her hours of silence. Even a five room flat or cottage is more than one woman can keep _spotless_ and allow time for anything else. Many things _must_ be left undone. The wise woman simplifies to the last degree compatible with comfort.

Useless bric-a-brac is dispensed with. ”Not how much but _how good_,” is her rule when buying. A few good things _kept in place_, are better than a clutter of flimsy things which pander only to an uncultured esthetic taste--and make work. _Order_ is the wise woman's first law in housekeeping; cleanliness her second, which is like unto the first in importance. She lets extra rooms, furniture and fallals go _until she can pay well to have them cared for_. The same rule obtains in her kitchen and her personal dress.

The wise woman thinks of comfort and allows time for the _joys_ of life, wherefore _all_ her life is a pleasure.

The foolish woman is ground under the wheels of routine. To her, housework is a stern ”duty” which comes _first_, and to which body, mind, personal appearance, happiness, the joy of living, all must be sacrificed.

Lastly, firstly, and all the time, the wise woman is guided in what to do and in what to leave undone, by the Spirit of Love; whilst the foolish woman is guided by the Spirit of Appearances.

Note the order in which I have written these needs of life; an exact reversal of the usual order. Housework _last_, and the Spirit of Comfort first. The tendency of every woman is to lose _herself_ in troubling over the many things of her household. If she would be happy, useful, young and growing she MUST turn her life the other side up.

The best way to begin, the only successful way so far as I know, is by MAKING time for the hour of reading and meditation and silence. She must _take_ the time, by sheer force of will--take it until it grows into a habit which _takes her_. Out of this hour will come first peace and self-control; and gradually she will find unfolding out of this peace and control, the wisdom to know what to do, and how; and what _not_ to do. From this unfolding comes the ONLY power which can make new thought practical to the individual case.

Are you satisfied with yourself and your condition? Then pursue your old ways.