The truth then about the will is that it is a force which we cannot
measure, and that it is as unreasonable to say that it does not
exist as to say that it is unlimited. It is foolish to describe it
as free; it is no more free than a prisoner in a cell is free; but
yet he has a certain power to move about within his cell, and to
choose among possible employments.
Anyone who will deliberately test his will, will find that it is
stronger than he suspects; what often weakens our use of it is that
we are so apt to look beyond the immediate difficulty into a long
perspective of imagined obstacles, and to say within ourselves,
"Yes, I may perhaps achieve this immediate step, but I cannot take
step after step--my courage will fail!" Yet if one does make the
immediate effort, it is common to find the whole range of obstacles
modified by the single act; and thus the first step towards the
attainment of serenity of life is to practise cutting off the vista
of possible contingencies from our view, and to create a habit of
dealing with a case as it occurs.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219