CHAPTER XVI.

Let Us Play

Except you become as a little child you shall in no wise be able to “concentrate.” Concentration is the natural mental attitude of a child.

A child is one-minded. When its attention turns to any given object its whole being is polarized to that object. To all intents and purposes there is nothing in existence beyond the one thing to which the child’s attention is turned.

Did you ever notice a fine horse when its attention is turned toward something? He “pricks up his ears” and they point directly at the thing that has attracted his attention. Every cell in a child’s body, and every atom in his soul, “pricks up its ears” at the thing his attention is attracted to. Every cell and atom receives clear impress of the thing attended to. This is “polarization,” or concentration. This is the secret of the child’s marvelous aptitude for learning. It is likewise the secret of good memory and the joy of living.

But the child forgets the art of polarized attention as he grows up. The main cause for losing the art is lack of gumption in parents and teachers. The child is charged with “musts” and “don’ts” to which he is compelled to pay attention. Every little cell is made to carry such burdens that it simply has not the heart to “prick up its ears” and take in a new impression. Only here and there is found anything vital enough to polarize attention.

BURDEN-BEARING is the great cause of lack of concentration, lack of case in learning, lack of memory and of joy of living.

If we were a bit wiser life would be a continual playground, where we’d simply grow in wisdom and knowledge and self-use by having a good time at our games.

When we must play there is no joy in it. We must play the business game and support our families. We must “keep up appearances.” We must do as others do. We must -- we MUST.