atrophy. Whatever is not used finally ceases to be. In plain language,
apathy, inaction, idleness, uselessness, is the road to degeneration.
On the other hand, aspiration and activity mean growth, development,
power.

So we grow, physically, mentally and morally, by activity, by exercise
of the organs or the faculties we desire to possess. It is only by the
constant exercise of these things that we can grow at all. When this
great law of nature is understood we see at once how it is that life
is full of trouble; why it is that the whole visible world seems to be
designed to keep us constantly at work physically and mentally, to
challenge our resourcefulness in improving our physical, social and
political conditions, to continually try our patience and to forever
test our courage. It is the way of development. It is the price of
progress.

The universe is a training school for evolving intelligence--a vast
gymnasium for the development of moral fibre. We become mentally
clever by playing at the game of life. We match our courage against
its adversities and acquire fearlessness. We try our optimism against
its disappointments and learn cheerfulness. We pit our patience
against its failures and gain persistence. We are torn from the
pinnacle of ambition by opponents and learn toleration of others. We
fall from the heights of vanity and pride, and learn to be modest and
humble. We encounter pain and sorrow and learn sympathy with
suffering. It is only by such experiences that we can grow to rounded
measure. It is only in an environment thus adapted to our spiritual
development that we can evolve the latent powers within us.

Such is the universe in which we find ourselves and from it there is