The Freedom of Life

The Freedom of Life is a classic mental health book by Annie Payson Call in which Miss Call shows us how in the main affairs of life we may be spared the pain and annoyance of doing right in the wrong way, avoid the distressing waste of nervous force, and gain new life and power for work. Contents: The freedom of life -- How to sleep restfully -- Resistance -- Hurry, worry, and irritability -- Nervous fears -- Self-consciousness -- The circumstances of life -- Other people -- Human sympathy -- Personal independence -- Self-control -- The religion of it -- About Christmas -- To mothers.

 INTERIOR freedom rests upon the principle of non-resistance to all the things which seem evil or painful to our natural love of self. But non-resistance alone can accomplish nothing good unless, behind it, there is a strong love for righteousness and truth. By refusing to resist the ill will of others, or the stress of circumstances, for the sake of greater usefulness and a clearer point of view, we deepen our conviction of righteousness as the fundamental law of fife, and broaden our horizon so as to appreciate varying and opposite points of view. The only non-resistance that brings this power is the kind which yields mere personal and selfish considerations for the sake of principles. Selfish and weak yielding must always do harm. Unselfish yielding, on the other hand, strengthens the will and increases strength of purpose as the petty obstacles of mere self-love are removed. Concentration alone cannot long remain wholesome, for it needs the light of growing self-knowledge to prevent its becoming self-centred. Yielding alone is of no avail, for in itself it has no constructive power. But if we try to look at ourselves as we really are, we shall find great strength in yielding where only our small and private interests are concerned, and concentrating upon living the broad principles of righteousness which must directly or indirectly affect all those with whom we come into contact.