" And so it
is, that there are old young men, and young old men--some who are
as joyous and cheerful as boys in their old age, and others who
are as morose and cheerless as saddened old men while still in
their boyhood.
In the presence of some priggish youths, we have heard a cheerful
old man declare that, apparently, there would soon be nothing but
"old boys" left. Cheerfulness, being generous and genial, joyous
and hearty, is never the characteristic of prigs. Goethe used to
exclaim of goody-goody persons, "Oh! if they had but the heart to
commit an absurdity!" This was when he thought they wanted
heartiness and nature. "Pretty dolls!" was his expression when
speaking of them, and turning away.
The true basis of cheerfulness is love, hope, and patience. Love
evokes love, and begets loving kindness. Love cherishes hopeful
and generous thoughts of others. It is charitable, gentle, and
truthful. It is a discerner of good. It turns to the brightest
side of things, and its face is ever directed towards happiness.
It sees "the glory in the grass, the sunshine on the flower." It
encourages happy thoughts, and lives in an atmosphere of
cheerfulness. It costs nothing, and yet is invaluable; for it
blesses its possessor, and grows up in abundant happiness in the
bosoms of others. Even its sorrows are linked with pleasures, and
its very tears are sweet.
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