A ROOM OF OUR OWN
Follette, Isabel B. La
A Room Of Our Own By Idalul B. Latollette FOR months I have been walking in a gingerly manner around a subject affecting all of us in these troublous times, but a bout of wrestling with my...
...Frankly, at the present time at least, I am convinced that the greatest educational gift we can give young people is not so much what they know but their attitude toward the world they live in...
...Whether in human relations, in the kitchen or garden, in the "arts" or wherever we bend our energies, this attitude releases us from petty personal-ness to wider endeavor...
...What's the alternative...
...or "Give me arguments for hope...
...In fact, friends present when an old high school beau of mine came to see me after 25 years got a tremendous kick when he commented that "Isabel was always mentally inclined...
...Years ago when I was struggling with the women-in-politics problem and would strike a particularly tough spot, Phil would laugh at me, "You're marvellous...
...Every once in a while some friend will say, "Oh, Isen, you are so strong...
...Certainly it just doesn't "come natural...
...At the same time most of us hear an ornery little voice within us poking fun at such heroics and saying, "Oh, you can't, can't you...
...I find that one can get real satisfaction if not joy from this artistic attitude...
...Strong," bosh...
...In my latter-day "hard-boiled" or realistic approach to the problem, I say to myself or to a fellow belly-acher, "Sure, life and the world and this particular situation is hades...
...Women with men in the battle line and the agony that goes with this often demonstrate more faith, hope, and buoyancy than their neighbors with no outward cause for worry...
...Again and again when they are tackling a difficult situation in any field with the periods of frustration which all creative work brings, I try to act upon Thyra's precept: "My, what an interesting problem...
...In these days when my own problems demand a bit of handling...
...This makes me paw the air...
...A Room Of Our Own By Idalul B. Latollette FOR months I have been walking in a gingerly manner around a subject affecting all of us in these troublous times, but a bout of wrestling with my sadly-accumulated correspondence has forced me to come to grips with it...
...Of course I believe in a good complaining "bee" every so often, but I think it should be a binge, not a habit...
...And in looking around us at our neighbors we realize that "happiness" is truly subjective...
...Again and again I found the refrain running through the letters, a refrain too often heard among those about us —"How can you see any hope ahead...
...I decide on how I would like to see it handled, and go to work on that basis...
...But no such luck...
...However, I am thankful to note her buoyant, joyful attitude toward the world that is her "oyster" but which she realizes can open for her only under her own steam...
...Every time you say you are 'through,' I know that in 5 minutes you will be figuring on how to lick the situation...
...I know I should get more help around the house from high-school-age Judy and I realize that her grades are not commensurate with her capacity...
...Most sensitive people suffer occasionally from one of those ills the flesh is heir to, an orgy of self-pity, when we groan, "I simply can't stand it another minute...
...I find myself wanting to shake the grouser by the shoulders and say, "Gosh darn it, how can anyone argue a person into happiness...
...So often the subject if discouragement is but the excuse, the whipping post, for a trend or habit pattern...
...Attitude Toward Life It is obvious that no outside person can give arguments for hope any more than some one beside the individual involved can make him happy...
...Well, I do have to admit that thus far I have had "staying power" at least, so how come...
...In fact, I always secretly envied the gals men called "Baby," with all the protection that suggests...
...Well, in my own case I find it helpful to review the situation with various choices involved...
...I am indebted to a marvellous German singer and friend for this concept of the "artistic" approach to life, which has proved an immeasural by rich boon to me...
...What do you intend to do about it...
...Nine-year-old Sherry remarked at breakfast the other morning, "My, wouldn't it be wonderful to be jest perfect in every way...
...So what...
...To keep in a healthy mental and emotional state one should train oneself to return to the question which Phil used to put to me when I criticized an act or lack of action in others, "All right, what are you going to do about it...
...Good health is helpful, but not the answer, as witness the healthy people who are miserable and the invalids with marvellous spirit...
...Let's go over its various aspects and consider the best way to handle it...
...Because I think it is frustration, real or fancied, that really gets us down...
...I was interested in Judy's reply: "No, not really, because you would have nothing to work for...
...The closest I can come to the secret of happiness is the habit of meeting life...
...I used to spend hours of time and words, and reams of paper making the "argument" that the worried one demanded, but long experience has shown me that this is com-nletely useless except as an emotional catharsis for the complainer...
...I fear the boys will never call her "Baby," but if Judy can maintain this attitude as her standard through life, she won't go around asking people to argue her into happiness...
...Can we analyze and then "isolate" the secret for successful personal living...
...Better Than Perfection The friend has been gone these many years now, but I have tried to pass on this precious gift to our children...
Vol. 9 • May 1945 • No. 21
