Show kathleen norris says learning to forgive bell syndicate features Fe aturo 71 r N he looks with curiosity annoyance and even jealousy white while you care for Us his son by KATHLEEN NORRIS UR soldiers are going to 0 I 1 need a great many v things when they come back from the battlefronts one of these is forgiveness forgive them you say indignantly what on earth have we to forgive them our heroes who have faced dangers I 1 homesickness beasi seasickness ck boredom wounds cold and heat epidemics and insects and fatigue and you say forgive them why cry the mothers and w wives ives 0 of f america were going to give them the most royal welcome returning boys ever had bad were planning meals that will vill build up those hospital wasted bodies and those limbs thinned in jungle hearl they are going to be lords of the earth when hen they come homel and just the same I 1 say forgive them forgive them their bitterness their scorn look at the prettiness and safety of home life with weary contemptuous eyes its doggoned important Is it that wedding announcements are fin n graved rather than printed weve got to have parsley on that have we me ma it broke up bettys life that I 1 forgot that that tool fool girl telephoned her did it they hope to shock you yoo forgive them their politics they wont know what they think but be positive with criticisms opinions discussion of socialism communism labor rights rights of ex servicemen and they will take great pains to say what they hope will shock you nothing will be sacred to them in conversation at least and if you hold for the preservation er of marriage ties they ill argue for license and tree free love forgive them their strangeness youre accustomed to the daily home events you love the baby so much having loved him all those months for both father and mother that the trouble that Is a baby I 1 Is s no trouble to you with tom itt its different he looks on with curiosity ann annoyance oTance and even jealousy while you care for his son do you have to run upstairs every time th the kid alps yips does he always smear I 1 himself up that way at meals cant we leave him with a neighbor one weekend week end and go off for one of our old good times have to forgive him that forgive them their uselessness to some ol of them this terrible experiment of war has come just at the wrong time its hard bard to go back into college its harder still to get into employment for which not fitted they will drift the big boy just out of uniform will come down late to breakfast and little sister will look questioningly at you Is she supposed to hang around until 10 to cook eggs for billy you will suggest to him that he might like to see uncle joe about going into the paper mill or cousin roger about a job at the hotel he will nod his mouth lull full of your rood good waffles but he wont go to see either A spring has been broken in his young fine makeup make up and lt it may be months before that spring is rethey 0 1 N A are w bitter and cynical READJUST readjustment ME NT TO PEACE wives mothers and friends of returning veterans find that the young men they used to know and love have come back strangely dif different lerent they are bitter and cynical often they are unsettled difficult touchy they want to be shocking in in ideas attitudes and speech in in many cases they are digi difficult cult to live with many dont fit into any job they just sit around the house dorme and dull or else tiresomely garrulous going back to school under the G 1 I bill of rights look attractive tive to many men there just seem to be anything they really want to do some have gnawing consciences sciences about abou t incidents incident 5 while ae they were away maybe they got involved in in some black market deal A number have been unfaithful to their ivines wives while wa ile enduring the loneliness arl and d misery of war in in distant lands all this miss aliss norris says sas must be forgiven these men nit have survived terrible experiences particularly horrible to young you impressionable soldiers built and he Is geared to normal home life again recovery Is slow forgive him you mothers ot of wounded boys his bis hes he s been hurt patched bandaged hes he s been in splints or on crutches his young blood and young courage and young strength has been drained away from him and he can cant t regain what he has lost in a hurry hell he 11 be fretful talk symptoms bore you all with his history not for or long but until he gets on his feet in nerves and mind and soul and body again and finally some of you wives forgive him that he put someone else in your place for awhile in loneliness and distance men need women tor for comfort and when any friendly attractive woman Is near home seems very far away when he comes back to you and perhaps blurts out his regret and his surprise at what he did forgive him then it Is part of the total world ruin of war that so many wives find it impossible to forgive this one thing but it isn t the worst offense a tired lonely hungry despairing man ever committed cruelty and injustice and abuse of power these crimes leave deep scars but reaching out wearily tor for compion comp companionship ion and affection when the home affection and companionship for or which he longs Is not accessible this thi is some thing to be forgiven and forgotten As we forgive those who trespass against us we all are to be forgiven some day lay up to in the spiritual banks for or yourself an emergency fund of divine forgiveness |