Born in 1899, Gladys Tabor was a writer and a columnist for Ladies Home Journal and Family Circle. If Gladys were alive today I’m sure she’d be my best friend. Taken from “Stillmeadow Sampler,” published in 1957 Gladys’ words speak to the coming year …
“This is a time of anxieties, scary headlines, turmoil. Many people have resorted to tranquilizing pills to get them through the days and nights. A good many parents worry about the fallout and its effect on their children and children’s children. All of us, I think, like to feel our family will go on and a probable generation ahead of leukemia and other diseases for children from the atomic explosions is not easy to contemplate.
“I am very glad that it is not up to me to decide whether the tests shall go on or not. It is not up to me, being a plain countrywoman, to settle world policies or create new satellites. I think if every nation begins whirling things around in space, there will be repercussions from space which may be lethal. But I have decided that it is my business to live my life as best I can.
“In season we plant. In season we harvest the crops. In season we pile the apple logs on the fire. And here at Stillmeadow we try to live every day as if it were a fresh gift from God. The sun shines, the rain falls, the snow blots out the windows still. Birds come as usual. They nest at the same time. And in so far as we are able, we help our neighbors whether they live down the road or in Hungary. We share what we have whether it is money or blankets or seeds for planting in some foreign soil.
“Now that we live in such an anxious age it is quite natural that we turn to tranquilizing drugs. I have heard of a man who takes tranquilizers to quiet himself down and then takes pep-up pills ‘to level it off,’ as he says. I doubt whether tranquility is something one can swallow in a pellet. I was subjected to them at one time when my blood pressure skyrocketed. They helped the blood pressure but they didn’t improve my disposition at all. Whenever I wasn’t groggy, I was cross.
“Tranquility is something we must reach for in ourselves. Prayer can help. Often when we are heavy-laden, prayer brings a sense of quietness. It also helps to stop whatever we are doing and take a breather. Even going to the window and looking out at the sky a few minutes may help ease tension. Or taking five or 10 minutes to dip into a book that has nothing to do with business or our jobs. If we are fortunate enough to be able to go outdoors and pull weeds in the garden for half an hour, we may feel bitter about how vigorous the weeds are, but we come in relaxed.
“I have a friend who says when she is too keyed up, she irons. Ironing would never make me feel tranquil, but she says it is very calming. She even gets up at night if she can’t sleep and irons a few shirts.
“Most of us have, I think, some refuge from this exceedingly disturbed era in history, but it is an individual matter. I find, for myself, washing the milk glass is good medicine!”
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