George Herbert: "The Church-porch"

Day 31: Morning

60

All foreign wisdom amounts to this, take all that is given. Whether wealth or love, or language, nothing is useless or without purpose. A good digestion turns all to health. And then as far as good behavior may, cancel all [past] offenses. None are so certain as they [old wrongs].      Make the best of all unfamiliar knowledge. This does not mean ‘put up with.’ It means accept it as a gift and take the good from it; make the best out of it.  Making life a "found art." Take what is native to another culture and learn what you can from it. Adapt it to your benefit, whether it is for someone else, something entirely alien or something in yourself. Whatever your accomplishments, your attributes, your natural and learned abilities or your temperament, use them to your betterment. Your family and social relationships, your community, your prospects and everything else that is within your power and responsibility, take and accept what is given and make the best of it. Everything is useful. Take what is not good and turn it into the best that you can. A good digestion turns all to health; assimilate your environment, and convert it into something to everyone's advantage.      What you can not turn to health or deal with in some other beneficial way, strike off all scores. If you can, eliminate all accounts as far as good and just behavior will allow. Do not maintain evil suggestions or spiritless habits. Cross them off; do not make yourself a debtor to immoral customs.

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