How Am I Doing?

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

      -Napoleon Hill

In the turmoil of today, just where is the world headed?  There is both temptation and excuse for any thoughtful person to wonder about that. If one listens only to the pessimist, he might yield to their obsession that the world is going to the devil fast. On the other hand, if one casts his lot with the Pollyannas, he is likely to be lulled to sleep dreaming contentedly of the world waxing wise and virtuous.

Neither view is normal. One drops us into a well of despair. The other exalts us on a pillar of pride. The former finds some foundation in the newspaper headlines day after day.  The latter can be proved by a list of the evils eliminated by civilization.

The world has not "gone to the dogs," neither has it reached the point where it does not need further improvement.  If we want to see the world move towards a more perfect fellowship of man, the important thing is not to worry about the world, but to wonder about ourselves.

The big question is not "Is the world getting better?"  but "Am I getting better?"  Are the experiences I am having with life giving me a broader and more charitable outlook?  Are my own disappointments teaching me empathy for others who are likewise disappointed?  Are my own successes inspiring me to pause at the peak to offer a helping hand to someone still struggling up the hill?  Can I look deep into my own heart and truthfully find that it is growing finer as it grows older?

If enough of us make up our minds to meet that test, the world will take care of itself

-National Messenger