From: RBNaumann@webtv.net   
      
   "THE philosophy of New Thought offers a key to the essential life--the   
   life worthwhile. New Thought is a philosophy of life. It leads man out   
   of the labyrinths of weakness, doubt, and darkness into the sunlight of   
   hope, strength, and courage.   
      
   The art of living is the art of thinking, for life has no values except   
   as thought molds them-- except as thought creates ideals for the   
   individual to shape and pattern his life after. How we shall live is the   
   most momentous question for man's thought and consideration. It is   
   paramount because during its existence we mold character, either good or   
   bad, which is the only asset we carry away at its close.   
      
   Life is not built to any fixed plan. One ideal will not suffice for all   
   lives. Individuals cannot follow the same guide, because all persons   
   differ and the orbits of their respective lives cannot be the same. Each   
   person is endowed with some distinct and superior quality. The real   
   purpose of his life should be to develop that gift and bring it into   
   activity and expression.   
   We must, therefore, begin with the proposition that life is an   
   individual function, a problem for each person to work out in the manner   
   best suited to his own individuality. Each must be shaped by his own   
   ideal. Each must follow his own line of cleavage.   
      
   The inquiry is often made, What is the ultimate purpose in life? Of   
   course, millions would say that the real object in life is to observe   
   certain formulas and requirements that will secure one a safe place in   
   the next world when death ensues. But this does not answer the question   
   or satisfy the inquiring mind.   
      
   Every man has one supreme ideal. Every man is turning his thought toward   
   the future, with the hope of reaching one great result. What is this   
   inward longing, what is all this striving, the labors of life, what is   
   the goal of all man's efforts, but happiness? Ultimate happiness is the   
   motive power of life. The search for happiness, however, should be   
   distinguished from the search for pleasure.   
        
   No two persons will agree on what constitutes ultimate happiness.   
   Therefore no common ideal can be set up and established, by which to   
   reach that desired state. One may think wealth to be the direct means of   
   producing happiness, another travel. another work, another duty and   
   service. We all map out and travel different roads to arrive at the one   
   desired result. The essential fact is not what we may think will be   
   productive of happiness, for the greater part of our thinking along   
   these lines is defective and illusory; but the important thought for   
   consideration is what, in fact, will lead us to the coveted goal.   
      
   Our lives and energies are largely wasted in an endeavor to follow our   
   ideals of happiness. We spend the larger portion of life in discovering   
   and laying aside out cherished illusions and discarded ideals. Our   
   greatest illusions, the ones that most monopolize our thought and   
   energies, are those we treasure of happiness. They fade away and vanish   
   as we travel along the highways of life. After all, we gain much wisdom   
   from Nature. If we have eyes to see, or ears to hear she will furnish   
   guides that will pilot us safely toward the essential life, which in its   
   last   analysis and ultimate meaning is a life of happiness."   
      
   Abel Leighton Allen   
      
   http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tmontinx.htm   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)