Happiness as Found in Forethought Minus FearthoughtFletcher, Horace
Philosophy
Happiness as Found in Forethought Minus Fearthought
Fletcher, Horace
Fear; Happiness
We have already suggested, and it cannot be too often repeated, that
the condition favorable and necessary to growth is that of harmony--an
harmonious present is the living heir and parent of all harmonies--that
growth is the evident object of life, and that when anything ceases to
grow it begins to die--there is no growth except in the present, and no
cultivable field other than the Now-Field--that harmony, through one's
ability to always furnish the concordant note, one's self, is within
the power of each, regardless of environment or physical conditions,
if _only_ present conditions and environment are considered, and that
growth is the certain result of harmony; that our function relative
to growth is only to keep deterrent influences out of the present;
that, if we do this, Nature never fails to develop better results from
the unfolding of each succession. We have learned that all of the
deterrents we have been able to discover and classify are phases of
fearthought; that fearthought is no creation of the present, but is
sought in the future and nourished on the life-blood of the present--an
excrescent and altogether parasitic abnormality, unnecessary to the
thing it feeds on.
We have discovered, in our search for deterrents, that, if encountered
in the now, they are easily routed. We have also discovered that the
longest life is but a succession of nows. If so, how easy becomes the
problem: Work diligently in the Now-Field.
In arguing against the potency of anger and worry and other
expressions of fearthought, where the contention has been persisted in
that they were necessary evils, and amenable only to suppression, not
to elimination, I have invariably won my point when suddenly asking the
question, "Are you angry or worried at this moment?" by the admission
of my opponent, "No; not at this moment, because my mind is occupied
with something which has no element of worry or anger in it." The
replies vary, of course, but are to the same effect. I immediately
return with the question: "Is not all time but a succession of nows,
and, if so, cannot all of the nows, as well as this one, be exempt from
apprehension and irritation, by continuing to think of pleasanter and
more hopeful and helpful things?"
Each succeeding now is easier of control than the preceding one from
which it learns the habit-of-control, and, if the immanent now is
guarded, all the nows that follow will take care of themselves.
As we have observed, we need not think of the growing if we are only
diligent in keeping fearthought out of our minds. Nature will do
abundant growing for us, and if we do not seek fearthought beyond the
now, we will have nothing to keep out. _It is easier than not!_
Does it not seem _very_ easy when one thinks reasonably about it? If
we confine our efforts to the Now-Field, we leave our enemy out in the
cold by the comfortable process of non-invitation. Therefore, let us
work together for a season in the Now-Field.
PERTINENT PAGES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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