Singers and Storytellers Page: 71
v, 298 p. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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DON'T LOOK BACK
In formulating our criterion of spiritual guidance, we have before us
three periods in life that determine the order of our existence: the past,
the present, and the future. Our philosophy of living will revolve around
one of these three as a point of departure, depending upon what time
of life we consider most essential. The present is a reality, the past a
recollection of a reality that has ceased to exist, and the future a conjecture
of what may come to pass. Hence, the last two form the basis of roman-
ticism, since one is no longer here and the other has not yet arrived.'
Campa implies that the Latin American is more the realist
who enjoys the present moment, whereas the Anglo American
is the romantic who misses out on most of this life while
contemplating the future. He is too busy counting his chickens
before they hatch.
This latter expression has an interesting history. Among
primitives the female knew better than to count the buns
before putting them into her oven or to count the eggs and
plan on the same number of chickens. Furthermore, as she
began her household duties of a morning, she was careful not
to break anything. However, if by some misfortune she did,
she quickly put everything back exactly where it was before
she started, and began all over again in earnest to ward off
bad luck.
Just what the very best solution may be to this problem
of emphasis upon a time segment has been dealt with exten-
sively in folklore. A Chinese proverb says that the palest ink
is better than the most retentive memory. Here we may look
back if we are sure of the record. An English proverb says,
"He that looks not before finds himself behind." The American
says, "Look before you leap." A German proverb tells us what
to do with all three segments: "Three things belong to a happy
life-to sink the past, to guide the present, and to reflect on
the future."
One aspect of primitivism is the desire to look back, or
return to, one's youth when things were better. Anybody's
grandfather is likely to say two things: "Now when I was a
boy, we did it this way," and "The world is going to the dogs."71
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Singers and Storytellers (Book)
Collection of popular folklore of Texas, including personal anecdotes about storytellers and singers, as well as folk songs, myths, and ghost stories. The index begins on page 295.
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Boatright, Mody C. Singers and Storytellers, book, 1961; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc67655/m1/77/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Press.