p. 18 | Forget Yourself-and Be Cheerful by Lucia Noble

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 4, 1915

Forget Yourself—and Be Cheerful

By Lucia Noble

There is one thing of which I am positively certain, and that is, if we ever expect to find success in this life, we must early learn to be cheerful; if we do not possess natural cheerfulness, the habit must be cultivated, and the sooner we fix this fact in our minds the better we shall find life in general; we must be unselfish; we must forget ourselves and try to help our fellow creatures.

The old command of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” is a good one; and if we did, there would be less fault-finding.

Love is a weapon which Omnipotence uses to conquer rebellious men when all else fails; love is a sun against whose rays no wintry condition can stand.

No one can withstand the warming, exhilarating influence of love and cheerfulness; even the dumb animals respond to a smile and silent caress, and so do the hardest hearts.

Try to forget yourself, for self-consciousness is really a disease. No one can climb upward while his thoughts are entirely self-centered, no matter how he tries.

There is no better way to overcome self-consciousness than to forget self.

At first it will doubtless seem impossible, but make the resolution and stick to it; in a short time you will wonder how you ever lived before. Cheerfulness once attained, you will know the real joy of life and love.—Lucia Noble, in American Motherhood.