No life can be vigorous if it is not kept fresh, responsive,
by great physical and mental reserves. As hibernating animals,
like the bear, in cold climates sustain life through the
winter wholly upon the reserve fat and nutriment stored up in
the tissues, so patients who have splendid physical reserves
and resisting power are carried through severe sicknesses and
sustained through severe illnesses by this reserve surplus,
stored-up vital power, while those who lack it, those who have
dissipated it in abnormal living and excesses, often lose their
lives, even in much less severe illnesses.
Great business men accomplish marvels with their reserves.
Many of them work but a few hours a day, but they have such
tremendous physical reserves and so much stored-up mental
energy that they are able to accomplish wonders in a short
time, because of their ability to work with great intensity and
powerful concentration.
People who keep their physical and mental surplus drawn down
very low by working a great many hours and almost never taking
vacations, who do not fill their reserve reservoir by frequent
vacations and by a lot of recreation and play, do not work with
anything like the freshness and mental vigor of those who work
less hours and constantly accumulate great reserve power.
There comes into every life worth while a time when success will
turn upon the reserve power. It is then a question of how long
your stored-up energy will enable you to hold out. There will
often arise emergencies when your success will depend upon how
much fight there is in you.--Denver _Republican_.
(2715)
=Reserved Merit=--See BOOKS AND WORTH.