CHAPTER XVI. 



THE SANEST OF ARTS, THE ART OF MAKING A LIVING 

 ON A LITTLE LAND 



LIFE may be compared to a game of chess, and we the chessmen. 

 Some unseen power seems to move us to our positions on the field 

 of life, be these positions good or bad. The greater part of this unseen 

 power lies in the will power ,of individuals. Our will power has much 

 to do in making us strong players in this game of life. 



The chessmen on the board have different values; some have power 

 to move in all directions as far as the board is clear; others have 

 limited directions in which to move, and the pawns can move only one 

 spot forward at a time. So many of us are simply pawns in this game 

 of life, only being able to see just a little way in front of us, while 

 stronger wills with better trained minds pass us by on the many 

 different lines with long, definite strides. 



The strong players in this game of life move swiftly and with keen 

 foresight to the vantage points on the field of life, leaving all the weak 

 players all the minor positions. 



How can we all become proficient players in this game of life? 



Too many of us are deceived as to the real intrinsic value of the 

 so-called vantage points in life. 



To become proficient in the art of living well, we must lose no time 

 in acting as pawns for stronger individuals, but must work around into 

 the position where we will be master of ourselves and not forced to 

 come and go at the beck and call of another. In other words, we must 

 be exploiters of our own time instead of selling our time to another. 

 If we only knew in the beginning what is the best thing for us to do all 

 the days of our life, how much more real living we might have for our 

 three score years and ten! 



False ideals, false standards, and false positions in life sidetrack 

 from the sanest existence. 



This is the essence of the sanest existence "a healthful body, a 

 mind at ease, and simple pleasures that always please." If our 

 vocation in life does not tend toward this it is radically wrong. 



The highest degree of bodily health is obtained from vocations that 

 take us into the fresh air. Perfect poise and ease of mind depends much 

 upon our bodily health. 



All that is really worth while in life can be had on a very small plot 

 of land if the art of living on a little land is mastered. It would seem 

 folly for a human being to be bothered and encumbered with ten, or 

 one hundred, or one thousand acres of land, when all the sunshine and 

 fresh air and all the nourishment that the human body can possibly 

 assimilate can be had from one or two acres. If a man has more land 

 than it takes to support him, he only wastes time developing this extra 

 land when he should 'be developing himself instead. At the end of 

 life's journey what matters it if we have one acre of one thousand 

 acres? 



Would it not be better to say that one acre ministered to us air the 

 days of our life, instead of giving the whole of our lives to the care and 



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