BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1914
Copyright, 1914,
By LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
All rights reserved
Published, September, 1914
PREFACE
HOME SPIRITUAL FREEDOM LIBRARY CATALOG
BOOKS BY ANNIE PAYSON CALL
POWER THROUGH REPOSE
AS A MATTER OF COURSE
THE FREEDOM OF LIFE
EVERY DAY LIVING
NERVES AND COMMON SENSE
HOW TO LIVE QUIETLY
HOW TO LIVE
QUIETLY
by
ANNIE PAYSON CALL
Author of " Power Through Repose," "The Freedom of Life," "Nerves and Common Sense," etc.
BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1914
Copyright, 1914,
By LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
All rights reserved
Published, September, 1914
PREFACE
SO universal is the habit of blaming circumstances or other people
for the troubles of our own lives that I know a strong assertion of the fact that
the source of all trouble lies entirely within ourselves will meet with contradiction
and resentment from many readers. It takes courage to look to one's self entirely
for pain which seems to be caused by others, but if once we do it, and are thoroughly
clean-cut about it in every thought and word and action, the release from bondage
seems almost miraculous.
When I say "look to ourselves" I do not mean necessarily
that we are to blame. Often we have inherited tendencies for which we are not in
the least to blame until we find them out, and cutting ourselves off from bondage
to circumstances or to other people enables us to find them out, -- then of course
we are to blame if we do not work in the way to conquer them.
As gradually we learn that it is our own attitude toward life that
makes us suffer, not the circumstances and people in life, we come nearer and nearer
to our freedom. I do not imagine that any one ever reaches entire freedom in this
life, -- but we can go a long way in our process toward it, -- and, as we steadily
insist upon keeping to the. straight road, the way grows more and more interesting
and the contrast is so great between the habitual and customary bondage to people
and circumstances and the healthy habit of working to throw off such bondage, as
to give us always a growing sense of relief which is delightful.
The tendency is, when we read a book which has in it more or less
of practical truth, to say, How good this would be for so-and-so but this book, dear
reader, although I hope you may give it where it is useful, is primarily written.
for YOU.