Page 12 - Stepping_Stones_1942
P. 12
When contemplating the golden opportunities which I have
had, and the marvelous scenes which I have witnessed, I have
ever felt an earnest desire to give to others the enjoyments and
advantages of my experiences. Thus I have been led to deliver
various lectures describing the places I have visited, and the
treasures of the ancient and modern world which I have seen,
as well as the rather unusual people I have met— those whose
lives have touched mine— those whom I have met at the cross
roads of life—and tho many of these were strangers from dis
tant lands, yet no barriers stand on the crossroads, for there we
all meet in mutual understanding.
In searching after knowledge,, whether in foreign lands or
at home, whether the people therein were from the humblest or
the highest, I have always found much material worthy of sin
cere study.
For confirmation of statements, the verification of data, and
other necessary items, various encyclopedias, travel books, and
well known writers who have traveled the way before me have
been consulted. As many as possible of these will be included
in the Bibliography, but it will be utterly impossible to give
credit to all; for while in our travels, I not only learned much
from conversations in each locality, but would often pick up
an item— here and there— in a magazine or local publication,
or in some particular book in a hotel or boat library.
In addition to my own personal understanding of the faiths
and philosophies of the countries mentioned in these stories,
I must acknowledge with sincere gratitude much from the
authors of many books I have read. However, it is difficult to
recall just where I received some of the inspirational thots—
they seemed to have been a part of me always.
Thruout this collection of stories you will find B.J. and Dave
referred to frequently. To those of you who do not know them,
may I introduce them? B.J. is my husband, and Dave is our
son. I cannot separate these two dear ones from any of the
experiences that are written herein, for with the exception of a
few stories, they— one or the other and in most instances both
of them—have shared all these with me; in fact, they are such
an integral part of my life that I cannot separate them from a
single event.
In this changing world, where dogma, self opinion, indiffer
[10]
had, and the marvelous scenes which I have witnessed, I have
ever felt an earnest desire to give to others the enjoyments and
advantages of my experiences. Thus I have been led to deliver
various lectures describing the places I have visited, and the
treasures of the ancient and modern world which I have seen,
as well as the rather unusual people I have met— those whose
lives have touched mine— those whom I have met at the cross
roads of life—and tho many of these were strangers from dis
tant lands, yet no barriers stand on the crossroads, for there we
all meet in mutual understanding.
In searching after knowledge,, whether in foreign lands or
at home, whether the people therein were from the humblest or
the highest, I have always found much material worthy of sin
cere study.
For confirmation of statements, the verification of data, and
other necessary items, various encyclopedias, travel books, and
well known writers who have traveled the way before me have
been consulted. As many as possible of these will be included
in the Bibliography, but it will be utterly impossible to give
credit to all; for while in our travels, I not only learned much
from conversations in each locality, but would often pick up
an item— here and there— in a magazine or local publication,
or in some particular book in a hotel or boat library.
In addition to my own personal understanding of the faiths
and philosophies of the countries mentioned in these stories,
I must acknowledge with sincere gratitude much from the
authors of many books I have read. However, it is difficult to
recall just where I received some of the inspirational thots—
they seemed to have been a part of me always.
Thruout this collection of stories you will find B.J. and Dave
referred to frequently. To those of you who do not know them,
may I introduce them? B.J. is my husband, and Dave is our
son. I cannot separate these two dear ones from any of the
experiences that are written herein, for with the exception of a
few stories, they— one or the other and in most instances both
of them—have shared all these with me; in fact, they are such
an integral part of my life that I cannot separate them from a
single event.
In this changing world, where dogma, self opinion, indiffer
[10]
