This should make us careful and a wee bit wary.  Opportunities are widely divergent in nature—­through a stroke of hard luck one might have difficulty in finding employment.  The first opportunity might lead to a job in a bar-room, but having fortified ourselves by developing our highest attributes such as honesty, integrity, cleanliness of body and mind—­we are able to somehow or other pinch along until something better shows itself.  First-class principles are not to be thrown away upon the first provocation, therefore, in order to take away the temptation, we might as well figure out that a great many employments in the world do not represent real opportunities and therefore should not be considered.

Failure to seize such so-called opportunities becomes a virtue in the same sense that the failure to seize a decent opportunity becomes a shame.

Often opportunity comes through meeting men of affairs who have power and wealth at their command.  These are usually in connection with enterprises of the greater magnitude.  Those of us who have the power to control our destinies to a reasonable degree should not stand back in our support of these.  If we have carefully built up our initiative, self-reliance, preparedness in the way of efficiency, good health and the will to do, there is no reason why we should not aspire to take a hand in anything in which we are confident we can succeed.  Among the men who control the big affairs of the business world we find a true democracy—­they want the man.  The fact that he appears before them neatly attired, bright of eye and ready of wit will surely count in his favor.

In other words, we should live up to the opportunity in whatever form it presents itself after we have accepted its responsibilities.  To make this perfectly plain we must live up to the job!  If we are to be superintendent of a coal mine “underneath the ground” we will put on our overalls and jumpers, but if we are to be manager of a grand opera house we will appear in our dress suits.  The thought is obvious, but as we journey along we find many of our fellow mortals neglecting to live in line with what they are doing.

We mention this fact hopeful that we will not fail to seize our opportunities by setting up obstacles whereby we may become persona non grata through lack of discernment.

Opportunity is within ourselves and when we have seized our rightful share, then we may look with pride upon our endeavor and proceed to laugh and live!

CHAPTER XVII

ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITIES