Thank you for this interesting question.
The phrase you are seeking occurs in a poem quoted here at end of the
book (Chapter 9, "The Give and Take of Living" page 227).
A Girl Grows Up, by Ruth Fedder. (Whittlesey House, McGraw-Hill, New
York, 1939). Chapter 9, "The Give and Take of Living", page 227.
The book itself is interesting in the way that such books often are in
giving insight into the cultures and mores of quite a different time.
Nevertheless, some of the book's advice remains topical.
The full poem is given as:
I will not say to you, "This is the way, walk in it."
For I do not know your way or where the spirit may call you;
It may be to paths I have never trod or ships on the sea
Leading to unimagined lands afar,
Or haply, to a star!
Or yet again
Through dark and perilous places racked with pain
And full of fear
Your road may lead you far from me or near.
I cannot guess or guide.
But only stand aside.
Just this I say:
I know for every truth there is a way
For each to walk, a right for each to choose,
A truth to use.
And, though you wander far, your soul will know
That true path when you find it. Therefore, go!
I will fear nothing for you day or night!
I will not grieve at all because your light
Is called by some new name---
Truth is the same!
It matters nought to call it star or sun,
All light is one.
----End of poem (and of book)----
The author states in the Acknowledgements section of the book (ibid,
page xvi)
"The author regrets that it has been impossible to identify the author
of the poem at the close of the last chapter and that due credit,
cannot, therefore, be given."
I was also unable to locate any more information about this poem.
Sample advice in the final chapter includes the following topic
sentences:
"If you would be a mature, happy, well-adjusted individual, you must
find a place for yourself in life."
"Recognize in yourself evidences of second-rate behavior..."
"Cultivate the ability to concentrate..."
"Most girls are ... groping for some method of deciding what they will
live by"
"...girls do not want anyone's ready-made opinions handed to them"
If you need any further detail about the book please use the "Request
Clarification" button to solicit it; I am happy to provide additional
clarification.
SEARCH STRATEGY
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I did not find that google helped very much here; certainly there were
no useful hits on the excerpt. Instead I googled for
"library of congress"
and title-searched their web site at: http://www.loc.gov/ to get
possible titles of the book, of which the most likely seemed to be the
Fedder book. A quick search through standard used book sites, of which
I particularly recommend A Libris at http://www.alibris.com , yielded
several copies for sale, and I acquired a copy thereby.
The book is also available from amazon, by the way; there have been at
least four editions, although of course I am quoting from the first
edition.
Initially I thought that it was a false lead, as a quick skim through
the book did not turn up your quote. Then, I happened to pick up the
book and noticed the line in the acknowledgments about the unknown
provenance of the poem. In curiousity I turned to the back of the book
and located the quotation you are seeking. |
