February 1949

takes stem measures. Sure it even belief in the eternal truths of human I Must Try-Somehow takes, sometimes, stark and blunt reality in dealing with a person existence and divine guidance is stronger and more deeply-rooted. thus afflicted by this devastating ill- Their impulses, their sympathies, ness. Sometimes it works. Some- their strengths, are all better, and BY their inner resources ampler than times it doesn’t. Sometimes-most of Louis B. Seltzer ever before. They are better friends. the time-the cure is locked up in Editor, The Cleveland Press the person’s own heart, in his con- They are better business associates. tact with his God; in his reliance They are better citizens. They are From Cleveland, Ohio. Chronic alcoholism is just as much upon some Power bigger, vaster, better parents, and husbands, and an illness, as desperate an illness, as stronger than himself. wives, and sons and daughters. They

T”w, ERE, b& for the Crace of p I* Singularly true. Inspiringly any of the others for which hospitals, doctors, nurses, and specialists have been established in this HAVE seen men go all the way Iway.down. Not part way. All the have been through a terrible illness, and by strength and deep belief they have made themselves well-and rich. That sentence. country. strong. One which forever goes through My heart went out with them. my mind. Walking down a street, At last, smothered, beaten, frustrated, weak, they reached out, vol- HUS I say to those who may be seeing a blind man. Or some one HE man, or woqan, you see, staguntarily, for the hand of God, and, Tstruggliq with friends or assoof God’s other children with warped Tgering, unkempt, undependable, bodies or ill-used minds. Or, stag- completely lost, unprcaentable, ab- always, His hand clasped theirs, and ciates afflicted by this illness which gering like a broken reed in the lifted them back to good health-a strikes men and women down as far solutely down and out-that man or storm set up by alcoholic confusion. woman is as good as you or I, im- good health in all respects, physical, as men and women sometimes can Why should I feel especially smug pelled by aa fine ideals, ambitions, spiritual, psychological, moral. possibly go–stay with them, someor comfortable in the presence of and hopes as you or I; as keenly con- In my years as an editor I have how: Be with them, somehow. Hananother’s tragedy? Why should I cerned about family and frienda and had some of those who are closest dle them in your own way, somenot, instead, try, somehow, to do place in society, as you or I. The of all to me, my best and dearest how. But, above all else, stay with something about it? difference is-aicknese, genuine ill- friends, my most inspiring and ablest them. They need you-more than Granted that I, for example, am, ness–just as certainly a biological associates, fall ill of chronic alco- any other sick person needs the and always have been, and perhaps weakness, and spiritual deficiency, holism. Nothing can tear out a man’s help of a stronger person. ‘ always will be, a teetotaler. Liquor as any other permn dicted, and de. heart worse than to ace that happen. Be prepared, for anything. But, in ‘

and my strange biology don’t mix. I vitalized of body and spirit, by any Nothing, by the same token, can being prepared, help with anything. don’t get drunk. I get sick- d d l y other illneu. elevate, inspire and make one feel The time will come, inevitably, sick. Sure it trkar patience. Sun it happier than to see those same men, when the hand of the sick, and with the help of God, restore them- weak, and utterly exhausted and deselves, and be restored, to complete feated man or woman will come, good health, and all it means-and voluntarily, feebly at first, and then come back, all the way. by increasing degrees of strength And when they do come back, and will, seeking for God and for they are better men and women than you. the rest of us-r statement I make God will be there. advisedly. They are stronger. Their And so, too, should you!