MENTAL PREPARATION. 197 



explains why a happy, trusting mood promotes 

 and strengthens, while a morose and discouraged 

 mental state retards and weakens every vital 

 function and mental power. 



Every one should cultivate a happy, trusting, 

 hopeful disposition. Even when there is much 

 to discourage one there is always a bright side. 

 A great deal of the care, worry, chafing and Gladness, 

 fretting of life is either entirely unnecessary or 

 is wholly the result of selfishness. We often 

 worry over imaginary evils that never mater- 

 ialize, or because we cannot have just what we 

 wish, when really, if we only thought so, we 

 might be fully as happy without it. 



The influence of parental worrying is too often 

 plainly written in the face and disposition of off- 

 spring. Many fretful, peevish, never-to-be sat- 

 isfied children simply reflect the maternal states 

 prior to their birth. In San Francisco I met a 

 lady who had 'two children that were the direct 

 opposites of each other. One was the dark cloud, 

 the other the "rising sun." Her first child was 

 born when she and her husband were struggling 



. . 11- it linecis of 



to get rich, yet much discouraged by reverses Worrying, 

 in business. During maternity she became very 

 gloomy, and worried much because of the pros- 

 pect of this additional burden and expense. Be- 

 fore the beginning of the second child's life she 

 and her husband had decided that a quiet little 

 home, a moderate income and more time for 

 enjoyment and soul culture were better than great 

 riches and its cares. Her second child was de- 

 sired by both parents, and the mother spent a 

 very happy season, attending the better class of 



