When I thus understood that it was impossible for me to do anything by myself, the task appeared to me simplified. Interiorly, I occupied myself solely in trying to become more and more united to God--knowing that the rest would be added unto me. HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. X FROM afar it seems easy to do good to souls, to make them love God more, to mould them after our own views and opinions. But coming closer one feels, on the contrary, that to do good without the divine assistance, is as impossible a thing as to bring the sun back after it has set. One feels that it is absolutely necessary to forget our own inclinations, our personal notions, and to guide souls, not by our own way--the way we ourselves go--but by the particular way that Jesus wishes to lead them. HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. X WHEN very young, and staying with my aunt, a book was given to me to read. In one of the stories I saw that the mistress of a school was much praised because she knew how to get on cleverly in the world without offending anyone. This phrase I remarked especially: "She would say to the one, 'You are not wrong,' and to the other, 'You are right;" and while I read I was thinking: "Oh! . . . I would not have acted thus; we must always tell the truth." And so I do, always. Far more difficult it certainly is, for when told of some little vexatious occurrence, it would be easy to lay blame on the absent, and she who complains would at once be pacified. Yes, but . . . I do quite the reverse. If I am not liked, what matter! Let no one come to me who does not want to hear the truth. COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES THAT a reprimand may be fruitful it must cost in the giving; and it must be given without a shade of passion in the heart. One must not let kindness degenerate into weakness. When we have blamed justly we ought to leave it so, and not yield to feelings of distress at having given pain. To run after the aggrieved one in order to console her, is to do more harm than good. To leave her to herself is to force her to expect nothing from creatures, to have recourse to the good God, to see her failings and to humble herself. Otherwise she would grow accustomed to being consoled after a deserved rebuke and would behave as does a spoilt child, who stamps and cries, well knowing that this will make its mother return to wipe away the tears. COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES