Old Clothes
s you go over your wardrobe
in the
spring or fall, do not keep any old,
useless, or even questionable, gar-
ments, for the "fear you might need
them another year."
Give them to the ragman, or
send them to the country or city poor house.
There is nothing that will keep you in a rut of
shabbiness more than clinging to old clothes.
It is useless to say that you cannot afford
new garments.
It is because you have harped upon this idea
that you are still in straitened circumstances.
You believe neither in God or yourself.
Possibly you were brought up to think your-
self a mere worm of earth, born to poverty and
sorrow.
If you were, it will of course require a con-
tinued effort to train your mind to the new
thought, the thought of your divine inheritance
of all God's vast universe of wealth.
But you can do it.
Begin by giving away your old clothes. There
may be people, poor relations, or some struggling
mother of half-clad children, to whom your old
garments will seem like new raiment, and to
whom they will bring hope and happiness.
As a rule, it is not well to give people your
discarded clothing.
It has a tendency to lower their self respect
and to make them look to you, instead of to
themselves, for support.
It all depends upon whom the people are and
how you do it.
If you can find employment for them, and
arouse their hope and self-confidence and ambi-
tion, it is better than carloads of clothing or
furniture or provisions.
But little children, suffering from the cold, or
hard-working, over-taxed men and women, will
not be harmed, and may be temporarily cheered
and encouraged by your gifts.
No matter if you still need your frayed-out
garments--do not keep them.
Your thoughts of poverty and trouble have
impregnated them so that you will continue to
produce the same despondent mind stuff while
you wear these garments.
Get rid of them, and believe that you are to
soon procure fresh, becoming raiment.
Rouse all your energies, and go straight ahead
with that purpose in mind.
You will be surprised to find how soon the
opportunity presents itself for you to obtain what
you need.
There is new strength, repose of mind and
inspiration in fresh apparel.
God gives Nature new garments every season.
We are a part of Nature.
He gives us the qualities and the opportunities
to obtain suitable covering for our changing
needs, if we believe in the one, and use the other.
When I read of a wealthy man who boasts
that he has worn one hat seven years, or a woman
in affluent circumstances who has worn one bon-
net for various seasons, I feel sorry for their ignor-
ance and ashamed of their penuriousness.
Look at the apple-tree, with its delicate spring
drapery, its luxurious summer foliage, its autumn
richness of coloring, its winter draperies of white!
Surely the Creator did not intend the tree to have
more variety than man!
The tree trusts, and grows, and takes storm
and sun as divinely sent, and believes in its right
to new apparel, and it comes.
It will come to you if you do the same.
The Heart of the New Thought by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Chicago : The Psychic Research Company, c1902.
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