The young are seldom forbearing, because they so little understand the
frailties of poor human nature.
Oh! if you could only witness the terrible struggles passing in the heart
of that friend whose vivacity annoys you, whose fickleness provokes you,
whose faults sometimes even make you blush....
Oh! if you saw the tears that are shed in secret, the vexation felt
against self (perhaps on your account), you would indeed pity them. Love
them! make allowances for them! never let them feel that you know their
failings.
To make any one believe himself good, is to help him almost in spite of
self to become so.
* * * * *
Forbearance is even _more_ than forgiveness; it is excusing, putting
always the best construction upon everything; above all, never showing
that some proceeding has wounded us; speaking of any one who has vexed us
thus: "She did not think, else she would have acted differently; she never
meant to pain me, she loves me too much; she was perhaps unable to do
otherwise, and yet suffers at the thought of having displeased me."
For a wounded heart no balm is so efficacious as forbearance.
_To forbear_ is to forget every night the little vexations of the past
day; to say every morning: "To-day I shall be braver and calmer than
yesterday." Forbearance even sometimes leads us to detect in ourselves a
little want of good nature, condescension, and charity.
_To forbear_ is not only freely to forgive, but to meet half-way, with
extended hand, those who timidly ask for pardon.