To lose anything is always most annoying,and in almost every case g ives rise to a feeling both of intense irritation and of dire desolatio n,which more often than not culminates in a further loss -loss of temp er.
There are but few persons who,at some time or other,have not exper ienced that horrible sensation of a thumping heartbeat,which jumps up i n the throat when one all of a sudden realizes that one has lost somethi ng:a precious package,a purse or even a favorite pencil;whatever it i s,one always inwardly reproaches oneself with great carelessness,and t he depression which follows is profound.
Then there are the losses we sustain through lack of correct observa tion and judgment - for example,the train that we lose,because we hav e not allowed sufficient time to catch it.
Again,there are the losses which come to us through our contact wit h brains and powers superior to our own,such as the lost deal in busine ss,the lost match at tennis,billiards,or football - all very dishear tening.
It is sad enough to lose concrete objects,but it is far,far worse to be bereft of abstract joys.Concrete articles are very often returned to us in the most marvelous manner,while sometimes they are not really lost at all - we have not looked sufficiently for them - and frequentl y we come across lost property quite by accident long after we have give n up the search.Abstract losses are generally far harder to recover -loss of affection,loss of energy,loss of nerve,loss of good spirits,loss of faith,both in ourselves and others,loss,for a time,of hope.Every man in his journey through life drops,mislays,or sustains,for a time,some of these losses,and the darkness which surrounds him while t hey are lost,and none but he who is without them can understand.
But let us end on a happier note.The sorrow of "losing things" is nothing to the wonderful joy of repossessing.And yes,there is one loss which in itself is a glorious gladness,and that is to lose your heart t o the right man or woman.