The spiritual life

The Place ofPeace. 59

faraway from this hum and buzz of life into

silent mountain solitudes where are sounding

onlythe natural harmonies thatseem to blend

with rather than to break the silence-the

rushing of thewaterfall swollen bylast night's

rain, the rustle of the leaves under the timid

feet of the hare,the whisper of the stream to
thewater-henassheslipsoutof the reeds,the

murmur of the eddy whereit laps against the

pebbleson thebank, the humof the insectsas

they brush through the tangle of the grasses,

the suckof the fish as they hang in the pool

beneaththeshade; there,wherethemindsinks

intoacalm,soothedbythetouchofNaturefar

from man, what aspect have the follies, the

exasperations, of the social whirlof work and

play,seen through that atmospheresurcharged

with peace? What does it matterif insome

smallstrifewefailedorwesucceeded? What

does it matter that wewere slighted by one,

praisedbyanother? Weregainperspectiveby

ourdistancefromthewhirlpool,byourisolation

fromitstossingwaters,andv/eseehowsmalla

partthese outer things should playin the true

lifeof man.

So distance in time as well as distance in

spacegivesbalancedjudgmentonthegoodsand

illsoflife. Welookback,aftertenyearshave

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