April 8

Page Two

When Sickness Is No More 3-14

People everywhere are concerned about their health. Read about the time soon to come when the human family will enjoy perfect health.

Conversation Is an Art 15

What you can do to improve your conversation skills.

Procrastination​—The Thief of Time 20

How can you overcome the habit of putting off doing things that should be done sooner?

The World Health Situation​—A Growing Gap

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN BRAZIL

WHEN Ali Maow Maalin caught smallpox in Somalia in 1977, it landed him in the hospital and in the headlines as well. After he was treated and cured, WHO (World Health Organization) announced in 1980 that smallpox​—after ravaging millions of people for centuries—​had been eradicated from the face of the earth. Ali was said to have been the world’s last victim.

In 1992, WHO reported other health-​care gains: During the 1980’s, more people in the developing world gained access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. In addition, a higher percentage of the population in the least-​developed countries gained access to a local health service. As a result, during the last decade, the number of childhood deaths dropped in some places.

Frightening Facts

These gains, however, are offset by losses and eclipsed by looming threats. Consider a few frightening facts.

HIV/​AIDS​—More than 17,000,000 people worldwide are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. About 3,000,000 became infected in one recent year, some 8,000 a day. More than a million children have contracted HIV. Deaths from AIDS among children may soon more than wipe out any gains in child survival in recent decades. And the epidemic is just now moving into the early explosive phase in many places, such as in Asia. Over 80 percent of all HIV victims, says Aids and Development, live in developing countries.

Tuberculosis (TB)​—Though largely ignored for the past two decades, TB once more haunts the world, killing some three million people each year, making it the world’s number one killer among infectious diseases. Over 98 percent of those deaths took place in developing countries. To make a bad situation worse, the TB bacterium teamed up with HIV, forming a deadly alliance with devastating results. It is expected that by the year 2000, a million HIV-​infected persons each year will die from TB.

Cancer​—The number of cancer cases in developing countries is now greater than that in developed countries.

Heart Disease​—“We are close to a global coronary catastrophe,” warns WHO’s Dr. Ivan Gyarfas. Heart disease is no longer the plague of industrialized nations alone. In Latin America, for example, two to three times more people will die from heart disease than from infectious diseases. Within a few years, coronaries and strokes will be the leading cause of death throughout the developing countries.

Tropical Diseases​—Warns WHO: “Tropical diseases seem to have gone on a rampage, with cholera spreading to the Americas . . . , yellow fever and dengue epidemics affecting even greater numbers, and the malaria situation deteriorating.” Time magazine says: “In the world’s poorer countries, the fight against infectious disease is already a disaster.” The death toll from malaria alone is now about two million a year​—this after it was thought to be largely eradicated some 40 years ago.

Diarrheic Diseases​—The toll among the young in the developing countries is shocking. Almost 40,000 children die every day as a result of infection or malnutrition; one child dies every eight seconds from diarrheic diseases alone.

Health and Poverty​—A Connection

What is this health picture telling us? “The developing countries are hit with a double blow,” says a health expert. “They are now hit with all the emerging modern chronic diseases but with the residual tropical diseases as well.” The result? A worrisome “geographical rift” has come into focus, notes the book Achieving Health for All by the Year 2000. Thus, health care in some 40 African and Asian countries is “not keeping pace with the rest of the world.” The health gap is huge​—and growing.

Though there are numerous reasons for this growing gap, one main cause of poor health, says World Health magazine, “is poverty.” (Compare Proverbs 10:15.) Often poverty condemns people to inadequate shelter marked by lack of sanitation, lack of safe and sufficient water, and overcrowded, cramped living conditions. These three factors not only hamper health but actually promote diseases. Add to this malnutrition, which weakens the body’s defenses against sickness, and you can see why poverty does to health what termites do to wood.

When deadly diseases contaminate dwellings, cripple bodies, and kill children, the poor are hardest hit. Note some examples. In the poor sections of South Africa, the incidence of tuberculosis is a hundred times higher than that among high-​income areas of the same nation. In impoverished areas of Brazil, six times more people are dying from pneumonia and influenza than in bordering wealthier neighborhoods. And the number of babies dying among India’s destitute families is ten times higher than that among India’s richest families. The painful fact stands out: ‘Poverty is dangerous to your health!’

No wonder that the more than one billion global slum dwellers are left with a feeling of despair. The underlying causes of poverty are beyond their control, and the sickening consequences dominate their lives. If you are suffering the ill effects of poverty, you too may feel hopelessly stuck on the miserable side of the health gap. Yet, poor or not, there are some steps you can take to protect your health and that of your children. What are those steps? The following article offers some suggestions.

What Shapes Your Health​—What You Can Do

UNLIKE rice or flour, health cannot be dished out by a relief worker. It does not come in a bag because it is not a commodity but a condition. “Health,” defines WHO (World Health Organization), “is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-​being.” What, though, determines the degree of that well-​being?

A modest house may be built using boards, nails, and corrugated iron, but the different parts are often supported by four corner posts. Similarly, our health is shaped by numerous influences, but all are related to four “corner” influences. They are (1) behavior, (2) environment, (3) medical care, and (4) biological makeup. Just as you can strengthen your house by upgrading the quality of the posts, so you can better your health by improving the quality of these influential factors. The question is, How can that be done with limited means?

Your Behavior and Your Health

Of the four factors, your behavior is the one most within your control. Changing it for the better can help. Granted, poverty limits the changes you can make in your diet and habits, but by utilizing the choices that are available, you can make a substantial difference. Note the following example.

A mother usually has a choice between breast-​feeding and bottle-​feeding her baby. Breast-​feeding, says the United Nations Children’s Fund, is “the superior choice, both physically and economically.” Mother’s milk, say experts, is “the ultimate health food,” giving the baby “precisely the right concentrations of protein, fat, lactose, vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are needed for harmonious growth.” Breast milk also transports disease-​fighting proteins, or antibodies, from the mother to the baby, giving the infant a head start in combating diseases.

Especially in tropical lands with poor sanitary conditions, breast-​feeding is best. Unlike bottle milk, breast milk cannot be overdiluted to save money, mistakes cannot be made during its preparation, and it is always served from a clean container. In contrast, “a bottle-​fed baby in a poor community,” notes Synergy, a newsletter from the Canadian Society for International Health, “is approximately 15 times more likely to die from diarrheal disease and four times more likely to die from pneumonia than a baby who is exclusively breastfed.”

Then there is the economic advantage. In the developing world, powdered milk is costly. In Brazil, for example, bottle-​feeding a baby may take one fifth of a poor family’s monthly income. The money saved by breast-​feeding can provide healthier meals for the whole family​—including mother.

With all these advantages, you would expect breast-​feeding to be booming. Yet, health workers in the Philippines report that breast-​feeding there is “gravely threatened with extinction,” and a study in Brazil showed that one of the main factors associated with infants dying from respiratory infection is “lack of breastfeeding.” Your infant, however, may escape that fate. You have a choice.

Mother’s efforts to protect baby’s health are often undermined, though, by the unhealthy behavior of other family members. Take as an example one mother in Nepal. She shares a damp room with her husband and three-​year-​old daughter. The tiny room, writes Panoscope magazine, is filled with kitchen and tobacco smoke. The child suffers from a respiratory infection. “I cannot stop my husband from smoking,” sighs the mother. “I now buy cigarettes for my husband and medicine for my child.”

Sadly, her dilemma is becoming increasingly common as ever more people in the developing countries waste much-​needed income by taking up smoking. In fact, for every smoker who stops smoking in Europe or the United States, two people start smoking in Latin America or Africa. Misleading advertisements, notes the Dutch book Roken Welbeschouwd, are much to blame. Slogans such as “Varsity: for that fine clear-​headed feeling” and “Gold Leaf: very important cigarettes for very important people” convince the poor that smoking is linked to progress and prosperity. But the opposite is true. It burns up your money and ruins your health.

Consider this. Every time a person smokes a cigarette, he shortens his life expectancy by ten minutes and increases his risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as lung, throat, and mouth cancers and other diseases. Says UN Chronicle magazine: “Tobacco consumption is the single greatest preventable cause of premature death and disability in the world.” Please note that it says “preventable cause.” You can snuff out your last cigarette.

Of course, there are many more behavioral choices that influence your health. The box on page 11 of this article lists some material that you can read in the library of a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. True, informing yourself takes effort. Nevertheless, a WHO official says: “You cannot have health without the involvement of enlightened people who have been informed and educated about their health situation.” So take this free health-​promoting step: Educate yourself.

Health and the Home Environment

The environment that influences your health the most, states the book The Poor Die Young, is your home and your neighborhood. Your environment can be a health hazard because of the water. Infections, skin diseases, diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and other afflictions are caused by insufficient and unsafe water.

If washing your hands requires nothing more than opening a faucet, it may be hard for you to appreciate how much time people who lack running water in their homes spend getting water each day. Often more than 500 persons use one tap. That requires waiting. But low-​income people work long hours, and waiting, notes the book Environmental Problems in Third World Cities, “takes away from time which could be used in earning an income.” No wonder that to save time a family of six will often carry home less than the 30 buckets of water needed each day for a family that size. But then there is too little water for washing food, dishes, and clothes and for personal hygiene. This leads to conditions that, in turn, attract lice and flies, which endanger the family’s health.

Think of this situation. If you depend on a bicycle to reach your faraway job, would you consider it a loss to spend some time each week to oil the chain, adjust the brakes, or replace a spoke? No, since you realize that even if you gain a few hours now by neglecting maintenance, you may lose a whole day of work later when your bicycle breaks down. Similarly, you may gain some hours and a little money each week if you stop short of hauling enough water to maintain your health, but later you may lose a lot of days and money when, because of poor maintenance, your health breaks down.

Fetching enough water can be made a family project. Though local culture may dictate that mother and children serve as water bearers, a caring father will not shun lending his muscle to haul water himself.

After the water reaches home, however, a second problem arises​—how to keep it clean. Health experts advise: Do not store drinking water and water used for other purposes in the same place. Always cover the storage container with a close-​fitting lid. Allow the water to stand for a while so that impurities sink to the bottom. Do not touch the water with your fingers when scooping it out, but use a clean cup with a long handle. Clean the water containers regularly with a bleach solution, and after that rinse them out with safe water. And rainwater? It surely is a bargain (provided it rains!), and it can be safe if no dirt washes into the storage tank with the rainwater and if the tank is protected from insects and rodents and other animals.

When you are in doubt about whether the water is safe, WHO suggests that you add a chlorine-​releasing substance to it, such as sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. It works, and it is cheap. In Peru, for instance, this method costs an average family less than two dollars a year.

Health and Health Care

Often the poor only see two forms of health care: (1) available but not affordable and (2) affordable but not available. Donna Maria, one of São Paulo’s nearly 650,000 slum dwellers, explains package one: “For us, good health care is like an item in a window display in a luxurious shopping mall. We can look at it, but it is beyond our reach.” (Vandaar magazine) Indeed, Donna Maria lives in a city where hospitals offer heart-​bypass operations, transplants, CAT scans, and other high-​tech medicine. For her, though, these things are not affordable.

If unaffordable health care is like a luxury item in a mall, then affordable health care is more like a low-​cost item for which hundreds of elbowing customers are reaching at the same time. Noted a recent news report in a South American country: ‘The sick are standing in line for two days to get a consultation. There are no vacancies. Public hospitals lack money, medicine, and food. The health-​care system is sick.’

To improve such ailing health care for the masses, WHO has gradually shifted its work from disease control to health promotion by educating people in prevention and control of diseases. Programs promoting primary health care, such as proper nutrition, safe water, and basic sanitation, writes UN Chronicle, have resulted in “a substantial improvement in global health.” Do these programs benefit you? One of them may have. Which one? EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization).

“The vaccinator has replaced the postman as the most familiar visitor to home and hamlet,” notes a report on EPI. During the last decade, vaccination needles were felt from the Amazon to the Himalayas, and by 1990, WHO reported, 80 percent of the world’s infants had been inoculated against six killer diseases.a Yearly, EPI is saving the lives of over three million children. Another 450,000 who might have been crippled can walk, run, and play. Thus, to prevent diseases, many parents make the personal decision to have their children inoculated.

At times you cannot prevent a sickness, but you may still be able to control it. “It has been estimated that well over half of all health care,” says World Health magazine, “is self-​care or care provided by the family.” One form of such self-​care is a simple, inexpensive mixture of salt, sugar, and clean water called oral rehydration solution (ORS).

Many health professionals regard oral rehydration therapy, including use of ORS, as the most effective treatment for dehydration because of diarrhea. If used worldwide to control the 1.5 billion diarrhea episodes that occur yearly in developing countries, a tiny packet of ORS salts costing only ten cents could save the lives of many of the 3.2 million children who die from diarrheic diseases each year.

It could, but the use of antidiarrheic drugs in some countries, states the Essential Drugs Monitor, a WHO newsletter, is still “far more common than the use of ORS.” In some developing countries, for instance, drugs are used three times more often to treat diarrhea than is ORS. “This unnecessary use of drugs is extremely costly,” notes the newsletter. Poor families may even have to sell food for this purpose. Moreover, it warns, antidiarrheic drugs have no proved practical value, and some are dangerous. “Doctors should not prescribe such drugs, . . . and families should not buy them.”

Instead of suggesting drugs, WHO offers the following for treating diarrhea. (1) Prevent dehydration by giving the child more fluids, such as rice water or tea. (2) If the child still becomes dehydrated, see a health worker for assessment, and treat the child with ORS. (3) Feed the child normally during and after the diarrheic episode. (4) If the child is severely dehydrated, he should be rehydrated intravenously.b

If you cannot obtain prepackaged ORS, follow this simple recipe carefully: Mix one level teaspoon of table salt, eight level teaspoonfuls of sugar, and one liter (five cupfuls at 200 milliliters each) of clean water. Give one cupful for each loose stool passed, half that for small children. See the box on page 10 for more information on this matter.

What, though, about factor number four, our biological makeup? How can it be influenced? The next article discusses that question.

[Footnotes]

[Box on page 8, 9]

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE​—HOW DOES IT WORK?

To find the answer to this question, Awake! talked with Dr. Michael O’Carroll, a WHO representative in South America. Some excerpts follow.

‘WE INHERITED a health-​care system based on a medical approach to health. If you are sick, you go to a doctor. Forget about the fact that you drank two bottles of whiskey. Forget that you never exercise. You see the doctor and say: “Doctor, cure me.” Then the doctor puts something in your mouth, puts something in your arm, cuts something off, or puts something on. Now, I am speaking grossly here, as you will understand, just to get the point across, but this kind of medical approach has prevailed. We have wrongfully medicalized society’s problems. Suicide, malnutrition, and drug abuse have become medical problems. But they are not. They are not even health problems. They are social problems with health and medical consequences.

‘Then, over the last 20 years, people said, “Hey, slow down. We’re doing things the wrong way. We need to redefine what health is all about.” Some principles underlying the primary-​health-​care approach developed, such as:

‘It is more humane and more cost-​effective in the long run to prevent disease than to treat it. It is, for example, against this principle to build a clinic to deal with open-​heart surgery when you do nothing about the causes. That does not mean that you do not treat diseases if they occur. Of course you do. If you have a hole in the street that is causing accidents every day of the week, you will treat the poor fellow who falls and breaks his legs, but the more humane and cost-​effective thing to do is: Fill the hole.

‘Another principle is to use your health resources efficiently. It is against this principle to send someone to a clinic for a problem that can be handled at home. Or to send someone to a sophisticated hospital to deal with a problem that could have been taken care of in a clinic. Or to send a doctor, who has been trained for ten years at a university, to go out and give vaccinations while someone who has been trained for six months can do the same job. When that doctor needs to perform the job that he is trained for, he should be available. This is what primary health care is telling us: Educate the people, prevent diseases, and use your health resources wisely.’

[Box on page 10]

ANOTHER ORS FOR CHOLERA

WHO now recommends that rice-​based ORS (oral rehydration solution), instead of the standard glucose-​based ORS, be used for treating cholera patients. Studies show that cholera patients treated with rice-​based ORS had 33 percent less stool output and shorter episodes of diarrhea than cholera patients given standard ORS. One liter of rice-​based ORS is made by replacing the ounce [20 g] of sugar with two to three ounces [50-80 g] of cooked rice-​powder.​—Essential Drugs Monitor.

[Box on page 11]

FURTHER READING ON . . .

Behavior: “Good Health​—What Can You Do About It?” (Awake!, December 8, 1989) “Tobacco and Your Health​—Is There Really a Link?” (Awake!, July 8, 1989) “Helping the Children Stay Alive!” (Awake!, September 22, 1988) “What Alcohol Does to Your Body”​—Awake!, March 8, 1980.

Environment: “Meeting the Challenge of Cleanliness” (Awake!, September 22, 1988) “Stay Clean, Stay Healthy!”​—Awake!, September 22, 1977.

Health care: “Other Lifesaving Measures” (Awake!, September 22, 1988) “A Salty Drink That Saves Lives!”​—Awake!, September 22, 1985.

[Picture on page 7]

Collecting water takes waiting and work

[Credit Line]

Mark Peters/​Sipa Press

[Picture on page 9]

Enough safe water​—a must for good health

[Credit Line]

Mark Peters/​Sipa Press

Perfect Health for All

LIKE behavior, environment, and health care, our biological makeup also affects our health. That makeup is influenced by heredity and sicknesses we may develop later because of having a genetic disposition toward them.

“The biological envelope in which you arrive in the world,” says one health professional, “determines by and large whether you live well, live long, or live at all.”

In whatever way we acquired them, headaches, stiff muscles, frazzled nerves, embrittled bones, failing hearts, and other maladies remind us daily that our health is compromised by an impaired body and mind. What is the root cause of these pervasive health problems?

The Root Cause

A medical doctor named Luke living in the first century C.E. answers this question in an inspired biography he wrote about Jesus Christ. One day, writes Luke, a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus in hopes of his being cured. Jesus told the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.” Then, to show that he indeed had the power to forgive sins, Jesus commanded the man: “Get up and pick up your little bed and be on your way home.” The man did! As a result, “an ecstasy seized one and all” who witnessed the healing, and “they began to glorify God.”​—Luke 5:17-26.

What sin did Jesus refer to? The answer helps us to understand why we get sick, grow old, and die. Being assured that “all Scripture is inspired of God,” we can look to the Bible for that answer. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21) It tells us that the first man, Adam, was created perfectly healthy. He enjoyed vibrant health as long as he obeyed his Creator.

Adam, however, chose to break God’s law. By being disobedient and deliberately rebelling against his Creator, he was sinning. As a result, he became imperfect, vulnerable to sickness, and in time he died. Sin, therefore, was the cause of Adam’s sickness and death.

Just as some diseases are passed from parents to children as an operation of the laws of genetics, so imperfection and resulting sicknesses were passed from Adam to his offspring, the human race. Thus, all diseases are the result of Adam’s original sin. (Genesis 2:17; 3:1-19; Romans 5:12) Is there a way out?

The Way Out

The change from perfect health to poor health was brought about by sin​—Adam’s rebellion against God’s law. The change from poor health to perfect health is possible only through the removal of sin. (Romans 5:18, 19) How? Another perfect human, the exact counterpart of Adam when he was perfect, would have to sacrifice his life as a ransom. God’s law is that “soul will be for soul,” that is, a life for a life.​—Deuteronomy 19:21.

However, none of Adam’s sinful descendants could provide such a ransom. Thus, Jehovah himself lovingly provided his Son, Jesus, as a perfect human to give his life as “a ransom in exchange for many” so that “we might gain life through him.”​—Matthew 20:28; 1 John 4:9; Psalm 49:7.

While on earth, Jesus showed that his Father, Jehovah, had given him the power to remove sins when he told the paralytic, “your sins are forgiven,” and the healed man walked home. Time and again Jesus used this power from God by instantly healing the blind, the deaf, and many others with various ills.

Regarding these miraculous cures by Jesus, the Bible relates: “Then great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them; so that the crowd felt amazement as they saw the dumb speaking and the lame walking and the blind seeing.” (Matthew 15:30, 31) Even more remarkable, Jesus was able to bring dead people back to life. The Bible tells of several of these resurrections.​—Luke 7:11-16; 8:49-56; John 11:14, 38-44.

These miraculous healings assure us that no disease is beyond Jesus’ power to cure. Will he use this God-​given power again? Can we benefit?

Perfect Health a Certainty

Bible prophecies show that Jesus is already ruling in heaven as the King of God’s heavenly government. God has authorized him to remove all human governments now existing and to rule over the entire earth. (Psalm 110:1, 2; Daniel 2:44) Fulfilled will be the prayer that Jesus taught his followers: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) Under the rule of that heavenly Kingdom, part of God’s will for this earth will be to improve health conditions dramatically for the human family.

Then, in a literal as well as in a spiritual sense, “the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.” “And no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”​—Isaiah 33:24; 35:5, 6.

Under God’s heavenly Kingdom, perfect health will mean that people will not have to die as we do now. God’s Word promises: “Everyone exercising faith in him [will] have everlasting life.” “The gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (John 3:16; Romans 6:23) Yes, long ago the inspired psalm promised: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Psalm 37:29) As he did when on earth, Jesus will then resurrect the dead and give them opportunity to benefit from perfect health. The Bible promises: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”​—Acts 24:15.

The earth itself will prosper under Kingdom rule so that hunger, which contributes to bad health, will never again exist. Bible prophecies tell us: “The tree of the field must give its fruitage, and the land itself will give its yield, and they will actually prove to be on their soil in security.” (Ezekiel 34:27) “The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us.” (Psalm 67:6) “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth.” (Psalm 72:16) “The wilderness and the waterless region will exult, and the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron.”​—Isaiah 35:1.

Summarizing the situation that will exist in God’s new world, the prophetic last book of the Bible declares: “[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”​—Revelation 21:4.

Do you say, ‘That’s hard to believe’? Then, think of this. Before Adam became a sinner, he had perfect health. Imagine that it had been possible for someone to talk with him at that time and tell him that one day the earth would be filled with aching, ailing, and aging people. Do you not think that Adam would have found that hard to believe? Yet, it is now the reality.

In reverse, perfect health will become a reality under God’s Kingdom. Jehovah’s Word assures us: “These words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5) What God says is going to happen will happen because “it is impossible for God to lie.”​—Hebrews 6:18.

What can you now do to be assured of enjoying these coming blessings? The way to perfect health and eternal life was made clear by what Jesus said in prayer to his Father: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”​—John 17:3.

Ask Jehovah’s Witnesses for a free Bible course in your home. They will be happy to help you learn more about the marvelous promises of God. It will be your first step on the route to perfect health!

[Picture on page 14]

In God’s new world, all humans will enjoy perfect health

Conversation Is an Art

EATING, sleeping, working, these are basic human needs. Yet, another need cries out to be satisfied. What is that?

Consider the words of a man who spent five years in solitary confinement, deprived of one of life’s most precious necessities. “I longed for companionship, for someone to talk to, converse with,” he admits. “I began to realize I had to do something to counteract the loneliness. In my solitude and silence, my mind would be affected.”

Yes, we have an inborn need to communicate. Conversation helps satisfy that need. Researchers Dennis R. Smith and L. Keith Williamson comment: “We need to have people in whom we can candidly confide, with whom we can share our greatest joys and our most disturbing fears, to whom we can talk.”

We Need to Talk!

Humans are endowed with the marvelous gift of speech. Yes, we are designed to converse. One man made this observation: “We were created by God to be gregarious. If you don’t have the opportunity to talk, or if someone takes away your ability to communicate, it’s like a punishment. When you converse, a valuable thing happens. You feel better about yourself, and you benefit from knowing what others think and feel.”

Elaine, the wife of a traveling minister, says: “Words express feelings. We can’t assume that our mate knows how precious he or she is to us. It has to be spoken; the ear needs to hear the words. We need to converse.”

David, the son of a Christian elder, expresses himself this way: “Sometimes I’m frustrated and really don’t know how I feel. My first tendency is to clam up, then pressure builds inside. I find that if I talk with someone, it’s like a vent to let the pressure out. As I talk, I have a chance to find out how I really feel about myself and am able to sort it all out.”

Barriers to Conversation

Indeed, conversation fills a need. However, there are barriers to conversation. For some, in fact, conversation becomes a struggle​—an activity to be avoided.

“Most of my life,” says Gary, “I found it easier to slide around conversation with other people.” He explains: “It centers on my lack of confidence. I still suffer with the fear that when I converse with people, I sound foolish or that someone may belittle me for what I have said.”

Elaine describes her difficulty as shyness. She explains: “I was raised in a family where we didn’t talk. My father was extremely intimidating. So as I grew up, I felt that I had nothing worth saying.” Yes, shyness can produce formidable barriers to the enjoyment of conversation. Why, it can confine you within walls of silence!

“It’s like a plague,” says John, a Christian elder who admits to struggling with low self-​esteem. “If you give in to shyness, you isolate yourself. Even if there are a hundred people in a room, you won’t converse. And you’ve cost yourself dearly!”

On the other hand, an elder named Daniel has this to say: “I’m a natural when it comes to talking. But before I realize it, I’ve interrupted someone and taken over the conversation. I become aware of this when I see that look on my wife’s face, and I think to myself, ‘Oh, no, I did it again.’ I know that her joy is lost for the rest of the conversation.”

How can these and other barriers to conversation be overcome? What qualities are essential to this art? How can they be applied?

‘What Can I Say?’

‘What can I talk about?’ ‘I don’t know anything.’ ‘No one wants to hear what I have to say.’ Although you may have these thoughts, they probably aren’t true. You know far more than you realize, and some of that information is likely of interest to others. For example, perhaps you recently traveled somewhere. People may want to know how that area compares with where they live.

In addition, you can and should increase your knowledge on various subjects by reading. It is a good practice to take the time to read something every day. The literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses contains information on the Bible as well as on subjects of general interest. The more information you take in, the more you can share. A fine example is the daily text in the booklet Examining the Scriptures Daily as used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Each day, that gives you something different to think about and to use in conversation.

To engage in conversation does not mean that a person has to do all the talking. Both parties should express themselves. Allow the other person to speak. If he is quiet, you might encourage him with tactful questions. Suppose you are talking with an older person. You could ask him about events of the past and how the world or family life has changed since he was young. You will enjoy listening to him, and you will learn.

Be a Good Listener

Listening carefully is a valuable asset in conversation. The way we listen to others can support those who reach out for help with their burdens. One man, who viewed himself as being on the ‘scrap heap of humanity,’ was feeling miserable and called a friend for help. Even though it was an extremely inconvenient time, the friend kindly listened​—for two hours! The man now considers that one conversation a turning point in his life. What made the difference? “Just being a good listener,” admits the attentive friend. “I don’t recall speaking any words of wisdom. I just asked the right questions, ‘Why do you feel that way?’ ‘Why is that bothering you?’ ‘What might help?’ He answered all his own questions when he answered mine!”

Children treasure parents who make the time to converse with them. One young lad named Scott comments: “It’s good when your parents come to you and want to know what’s on your mind. Dad has been doing that lately, and it helps because there are some things that you just can’t handle by yourself.”

“You must create an environment in which your children will talk to you,” suggests one man. He regularly spends time alone with each of his four children because he feels that attentive, sympathetic listening by parents is essential if youths are to develop well-​adjusted personalities. His recommendation? When opportunities arise and a child wants to talk, be ready to listen. “No matter how tired or burdened down you may be, never stifle them! Listen,” he says.

Sincere Interest Gets a Response

Many people need emotional support to be able to open up and express themselves in conversation. One young man lamented: ‘I need to talk with someone, but who do I go to? It’s not easy for me to talk. I need someone who will take an interest in me!’ Genuine, sincere interest can create a trusting and secure atmosphere in which it is easier for a person to talk and open his heart to another.

One man relates: “A number of years ago, when I was having some difficulties dealing with family situations, I tried to converse with a friend. All he said was, ‘Buckle your chin strap and get tough and everything will be fine.’ There was no dialogue, no conversation, and it wasn’t helpful. In fact it just drove me back into a shell. In contrast with that, I later talked with an overseer of Jehovah’s Witnesses. By his eyes, his facial expression, and his kind manner, I knew he was sympathetic. As a result, I found myself opening up and conversing more because he was sincerely interested. He said: ‘We’re going to do everything we can to be supportive of you in your situation.’ You respond to people like that!”

Can more of us open our hearts and draw others into meaningful conversation? When we see someone left out of a group, too shy to converse, do we try to include that person in our conversation? Says John, who was mentioned earlier: “I can sense that feeling because I see myself over there, and I’m agonizing with him!” He adds: “How important it is that we gravitate toward him and get him involved. We might even say a silent prayer about the matter.”

Dan says of a friend: “Roy lacked such confidence in his ability to converse that when a group would be talking, he would always stand back a few steps. So I would ask him a question, ‘Say, Roy, what was that you said about this or that?’ Then he would start talking. As a result, others saw a side of him that they had thought wasn’t there.” Dan urges: “Don’t give up when a person is hard to converse with and to draw out. Think to yourself that there is a good person inside who wants to talk. Just keep drawing him out and working at it.”

By cultivating a loving, sincere interest in others, you benefit​—even if you have the problem of shyness. John found that this helped him overcome the tendency to isolate himself. “Love doesn’t look for its own interests,” he explains. (1 Corinthians 13:5) “To do the loving thing, you must talk with and inquire about others. To cave in to your inadequacies doesn’t fill the bill. You can prayerfully rise above yourself.” He adds: “There is such a great reward from doing it. When you see others respond and notice how they are uplifted, you are upbuilt too. And that should infuse you with the courage to go forward the next time and the next time.”

Empathy​—The Bedrock of Conversation

Among the most valued of human traits is empathy. Just what is empathy? Dr. Bernard Guerney of Pennsylvania State University says that empathy is ‘the capacity to appreciate the other person’s feelings and point of view​—whether you agree with him or not.’ How important is empathy in conversation? “That’s bedrock! That’s the foundation upon which everything else is built.”

Dr. Guerney explains that conversation is the lifeline of all good relationships. Of course, differences of opinion are common. To resolve them and preserve the relationship, we must be willing to talk about the problem. Many avoid doing that because they do not know how to talk without making the other person defensive and angry. According to Dr. Guerney, “most people confuse an appreciation and a respect for the other person’s position with agreeing with that position. Consequently, when they disagree, they don’t show appreciation and respect. Empathy allows you to separate agreement and appreciation.”

By mentally putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, you feel and think as he does. Under such circumstances, you will find that understanding, appreciation, and respect can grow, even if you disagree.

Consider Janet, a mother of four. At one time she was despondent and felt useless. She now realizes how essential empathy is in assisting someone. She relates: “I remember my husband talking with me and explaining all the different ways that I was helping out, whereas I had thought that my actions amounted to absolutely nothing. He very lovingly heard me through my tears, and then he built me up. But if he had belittled my thinking or said ‘Oh, that’s nonsense,’ or said something like that, I would have become very quiet and would have gone off by myself. Instead, that evening we had a very long, meaningful conversation.”

‘Empathy shows you care. That fosters communication, the extended kind of exchange most people want and need,’ concludes Dr. Guerney.

You Can Do It!

You can be a good conversationalist. We have considered some essentials to mastering the art of conversation, but there is a host of others. They include friendliness, a sense of humor, and tact, to name just a few. But like an artist, who through training and practice skillfully plies his brush over the canvas to create a beautiful masterpiece, we need to work at developing these needed qualities.

For example, Daniel has become a good conversationalist. How? By learning to control his tendency to interrupt and dominate conversations. He admits: “I have to make a conscious effort not to dominate a conversation. For me, that means harnessing my tongue. When I find myself wanting to add little tidbits, I mentally put on the brakes! If I think that a comment will change the direction of the conversation or take away someone else’s ability to converse, I just don’t say it!”

What helped Elaine? After she gained accurate knowledge of the Bible, she realized she had something valuable and worthwhile to talk about. She says: “I find that if I take the attention off myself and talk about spiritual things with others, I can be more comfortable conversing. It also helps to read the Bible-​based literature we receive regularly. When I keep up-​to-​date with that, I have something new and fresh to share and can converse more easily.”

Try to develop these essential qualities in your conversation. Then you too can bring refreshment and pleasure to others and have the satisfaction of mastering an art that truly fills a human need.

Crossword Puzzle

Clues Across

2. This Macedonian was a close traveling companion of Paul (Acts 19:29)

7. A city in southern Judah (Joshua 15:29)

8. Yoking this animal with a bull was considered inhumane because of the bull’s superior size and strength (Deuteronomy 22:10)

9. A son of Mishma of the tribe of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:26)

10. One of the postexilic Israelites who attested to the covenant (Nehemiah 10:24)

11. This sheikh of Edom had a sister named Timna (Genesis 36:22)

12. To bring together again

13. Because of its great depth, it is used synonymously with the abyss (Revelation 11:7; 13:1)

14. It “came to be” on the first creative day (Genesis 1:3)

16. To cause to be in a certain position (Mark 8:33)

19. Name given to the massive tree under which Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, was buried (Genesis 35:8)

21. Used to propel a boat (Ezekiel 27:29)

23. Formulated thoughts or opinions (Psalm 10:4)

25. Hebrew prefix meaning “son of” (See Amos 1:4.)

26. To follow as a model or example (Hebrews 13:7)

27. Unbridled sexual desires (1 Peter 4:3)

29. A hill used in Jeremiah’s restoration prophecy to indicate the western limits of rebuilt Jerusalem (Jeremiah 31:39)

31. The father of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar healed by Jesus (Mark 10:46)

32. Sick (John 6:2)

33. A metal imported from Tarshish, as no mines for it existed in Palestine (Ezekiel 27:12)

34. A false god to whom the Sepharvites sacrificed their sons in the fire (2 Kings 17:31)

Clues Down

1. Faltering (1 Kings 18:21)

2. Last named of four sons of Helem of the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:35)

3. One of the last places the Israelites encamped during their wanderings in the wilderness (Numbers 33:46)

4. A song of praise to Jehovah

5. Having this within oneself indicated proper conduct that preserved the lives of others (Mark 9:50)

6. Pharaoh gave Joseph this Egyptian as his wife, and she gave birth to Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 41:45)

9. Israelite captives were taken by Assyrian king Tilgath-​pilneser to this site (1 Chronicles 5:26)

13. The instrument of Jesus’ death (Acts 5:30)

15. Hezekiah’s tunnel preserved the water from this spring (2 Chronicles 32:30)

17. He was noted for his endurance (James 5:11)

18. The solid, translucent expanse above the heads of the living creatures in Ezekiel’s vision sparkled like this (Ezekiel 1:22)

20. Parent of Hosea’s wife Gomer (Hosea 1:3)

22. A Semitic word meaning “My Teacher” (Mark 10:51)

24. When in Egypt, Abraham had Sarah claim only this relationship to him because he was afraid (Genesis 12:13)

25. Entreats

28. A city captured by King Amaziah and renamed Joktheel (2 Kings 14:7)

30. Though not an Israelite, she became an ancestress of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)

Crossword Solutions Page 22

Solutions Across

2. ARISTARCHUS

7. IIM

8. ASS

9. HAMMUEL

10. PILHA

11. LOTAN

12. REUNITE

13. SEA

14. LIGHT

16. GET

19. ALLONBACUTH

21. OAR

23. IDEAS

25. BEN

26. IMITATE

27. LUSTS

29. GAREB

31. TIMAEUS

32. ILL

33. TIN

34. ADRAMMELECH

Solutions Down

1. LIMPING

2. AMAL

3. ALMONDIBLATHAIM

4. HALLEL

5. SALT

6. ASENATH

9. HARA

13. STAKE

15. GIHON

17. JOB

18. ICE

20. DIBLAIM

22. RABBONI

24. SISTER

25. BEGS

28. SELA

30. RUTH

Procrastination​—The Thief of Time

“Procrastination is the thief of time.”​—Edward Young, c. 1742.

STOP! Don’t put this article down! You know what might happen. You might put it down and say: “That’s an interesting title, but I don’t have time to read it now. I’ll get to it later.” But later may never come.

Don’t procrastinate about reading an article on procrastination! Time yourself. Likely you’ll be able to read this article in about five minutes. You will then have completed about 10 percent of this entire magazine! Look at your watch and start timing now. (You’re already 5 percent done!)

Is It Procrastination?

If you put it off​—postpone what you could or should do now—​then you procrastinate. In other words, you put off for tomorrow what you can do now, today. A procrastinator delays action when it is action that is needed.

A supervisor asks an employee for a report; parents ask their child to clean his room; a wife asks her husband to fix the faucet. “I got too busy” or, “I forgot” or, “I didn’t have time” are excuses given for not getting around to it. The reality is, few of us like to do reports or clean rooms or fix plumbing when there are more enjoyable things to do. So we put it off, we delay doing it.

However, did you know that sometimes it is not procrastination when we put off doing something? One businesswoman who receives a request and doesn’t know what to do with it files it in a box labeled “suspend” on her desk. After a few weeks, she reviews these items and finds that half of them need no action. They have solved themselves or are no longer required. If you are uncertain whether to delay or to act, try to determine what will happen if you never do what you’re postponing. Is the outcome likely to be better if you get it done or to be worse?

If we can and should take action now and delaying needed action could cause more problems later, then delaying is procrastination. For example, washing dishes after they’ve sat for some time makes it harder to scrub them clean. Postponing car maintenance can result in costly repairs later. Falling behind in paying a bill can result in heavier charges or the loss of services. One woman calculated that her overdue traffic tickets, videotapes, and library books totaled 46 dollars in late fees! That was for just one month!

Catching the Thief

Understand why you are procrastinating. Take a look at the following reasons, and see if you can identify which one fits a current project you haven’t started or finished:

Habit:

If I wait until the last minute, I’ll have more motivation to finish it.

I enjoy the excitement I get by doing it at the very last moment.

I’ll wait until the boss reminds me a couple of times, then I’ll know it’s something he really wants done.

I have so much to do that only the crisis things get my attention.

Attitude:

I don’t have the desire or the drive to do the assignment.

I just get to things when I feel up to doing them.

I want to do something else.

I lack self-​discipline.

Fear:

I’m not sure I can do it.

I don’t have enough time to do it.

It’s too big a project. I need help.

What if I don’t succeed or finish?

I have to get the materials to complete the project.

I’m afraid I’ll be criticized or embarrassed.

Different people procrastinate at different stages. Some procrastinate before starting because they view the project as too big. Others begin, but about halfway through, enthusiasm wanes, and they put off finishing it. Still others get close to completing it but start another project, leaving the first unfinished. (You’re doing fine, by the way. You’re already halfway through this article.)

Your reasons for not starting or completing a project may fall into all three categories. In the book The Now Habit, Neil Fiore wrote: “The three main issues that are at the bottom of most procrastination problems: feeling like a victim, being overwhelmed, and fear of failure.” Whatever the reasons, if you can put your finger on the causes, you’ll be closer to the solution.

If you are uncertain why you procrastinate, make a log of your activities for a week by half-​hour intervals. Determine how you’re spending time. It can be a real eye-​opener to see how much time we spend on relatively unimportant things between important tasks. But then what?

Think of the Consequences

Expecting that something will get done without putting effort into it can produce a sickening feeling. As you get closer to the expected deadline, you begin to feel pressure and anxiety. As these feelings build, your creative ability may be hampered. You are not as inclined to measure or weigh various ways to accomplish the goal but are mainly interested in getting it done.

For example: You’re assigned to give a presentation. The night before, you sit down to get a few words on paper. You have not spent enough time to research your subject, so you wing it. Perhaps with just a little more effort, you could have included experiences, supporting information, or charts to help your audience visualize the subject.

Another consequence that comes when we delay a project is the inability to relax when we have free time. That’s because we have a nagging feeling (or a nagging someone who reminds us) that we have left a project undone.

What Can I Do?

Make a list. Do this the night before. Put on paper the things you want to accomplish the next day. This way you won’t forget something, and you’ll see your progress as you check off the completed items. To the right of each item, write how long you estimate it will take to accomplish the assignment. If you are making a ‘To Do’ list for the day, use minutes. If you are making a project list, use hours. Make this list the night before. Take a few minutes to prepare your list for the next day. Keep a monthly calendar at hand. As you accept assignments and appointments, write them in.

When you review the jobs for the next day, prioritize the items from your calendar, placing A, B, C, and so on next to each item to be accomplished. Some people do better work in the morning, others in the afternoon or evening. Schedule your biggest projects for your prime time. Put less enjoyable jobs before the enjoyable ones.

Tell time. If you are always running late, literally running because you’re late, learn to tell time. That is, make an accurate assessment of how long you’ll need to do a task. Add a few extra minutes to the task for the “disaster” that may happen. Don’t forget to allow time between appointments. You need to add travel time. You can’t end a meeting at 10:00 a.m. and be at another one at 10:00 a.m. even if it is in the next room, let alone across town. Allow sufficient time between.

Delegate. We often try to do everything ourselves although we may not always need to. Another person may be able to drop off a package for us if we know he is going to the post office.

Slice it. Sometimes we don’t start a new project because of its size. Why not slice the large task into smaller ones? As we complete the smaller tasks, we’ll see our progress and be encouraged to complete the next phase.

Plan for interruptions. There are always interruptions in our workday​—phone calls, visitors, problems, mail. We want to work effectively, which includes working with other people who also have deadlines. If we are concerned only with working efficiently, we’ll become upset when others get in the way of our activities. Therefore, plan for interruptions. Allow time daily for unplanned developments. When these arise, you can take care of them, knowing that you’ve allowed some time for them.

Reward. When you do your scheduling, you should plan for intense or concentrated performance for about 90 minutes. Don’t forget to schedule time for preparation of the job. After you’ve actually started the job and have been working for about an hour and a half, you may need to take a short break. If you work in an office, pause, stretch, and reflect. If you work outside, get some refreshment. Reward yourself for your work.​—Ecclesiastes 3:13.

Just think, you’ve completed this article in about five minutes after you read the title. You may be on your way to recovery!

The One-​Eared Mantis

Many centuries ago, Greek legends described the fearsome Cyclopes, one-​eyed giants who lived in a faraway land. These deformed monsters existed only in men’s fertile imagination.

However, scientists have recently stumbled upon a host of one-​eared creatures​—right under their noses. They are the praying mantises.

Why has the mantis’ secret only now come to light? Scientists long assumed that the mantis must be deaf, since it doesn’t make any sound or respond to sound like other insects. To make matters more confusing, the mantis’ ear is not on its head, where you would expect it to be. The magazine Natural History explains that the ear is “a deep slit, about one millimeter long,” on the underside of the mantis’ body.

Isn’t it a bit inconvenient having only one ear in such an unlikely place? Well, we humans use our two ears to identify where a sound is coming from. The mantis can apparently get by without that ability. Its hearing is designed to warn it of life-​threatening situations. The mantis possesses a built-​in sonar detector.

The mantis’ ear tunes in to ultrasonic sounds, especially the sounds that bats make while hunting for insects like the mantis. Natural History reports that scientists have observed the mantis taking rapid evasive action when a bat approaches, thanks to the mantis’ acute ultrasonic hearing. But how does the mantis escape a bat, which can fly three or four times faster than its prey?

When the mantis picks up the ultrasonic danger signal​—usually when the bat is within a radius of about ten yards [10 m]—​in a fraction of a second, the mantis goes into a steep power dive. Apparently, it does this by deliberately stalling, a defensive maneuver similar to that employed by modern fighter pilots. In fact, Natural History commented that the mantis “offers an advanced lesson in aerial combat strategies.”

How did the mantis learn ‘advanced aerial combat strategy’? Who designed its ultrasonic hearing equipment? Surely, the logical reply is that provided by the patriarch Job: “Who among all these does not well know that the hand of Jehovah itself has done this?”​—Job 12:9.

The Leopard​—A Secretive Cat

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN KENYA

THE sun was setting. Our day had been spent watching and photographing the spectacular wildlife at Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. Before settling down for the night at the tented lodge, we were to experience one more thrilling spectacle. The stage was set when one of the lodge staff sauntered across a rope bridge over the Talek River, a haunch of goat meat slung over his shoulder. He tied the meat to a forked branch high in an acacia tree.

As the colors of the brief tropical twilight faded into darkness, a large male leopard glided silently up the tree and began to tug and tear at the meat. He was illuminated by spotlights from the viewing terrace. Intent on enjoying his meal, however, the leopard ignored us as we watched in awe and wonderment. We were later told that his visit to the baited tree was a nightly custom, one he had observed for some six years. So the following night we were treated to a repeat performance!

We could truly appreciate why the leopard has been described as “the most perfect of the big cats, beautiful in appearance and graceful in its movements.” Weighing 125 pounds [60 kg] or more, the leopard is one of the most powerfully muscled animals, averaging over two feet [60 cm] tall at the shoulder and seven feet [200 cm] long from nose to tail tip. Gazing at the characteristic black spots arranged in rosettes on its tawny coat, we are reminded of the question once asked by the prophet Jeremiah: “Can a Cushite change his skin? or a leopard its spots?”​—Jeremiah 13:23.

Particularly striking are his luminous green eyes. They are equipped with a special layer of cells​—the tapetum—​that gives him extraordinary night vision. The leopard can see at a sixth of the light level needed by human eyes. This cell layer, reflecting light back through the retina, creates the shining effect seen when a beam of light catches his eyes at night.

Were you to observe the leopard at rest during the day, you would note that he pants as if he were on the brink of exhaustion. However, his rapid breathing is part of an efficient cooling system. By his panting up to 150 times a minute, moisture can evaporate from his tongue, mouth, and nasal passages.

The most adaptable of the big cats, leopards can be found in deserts and forests; in mountains and at sea level; in lands as diverse as China, India, and Kenya. Despite human encroachment on much of the leopard’s habitat, scientists estimate that there are nearly a million in Africa and Asia alone. Even so, for centuries the leopard eluded serious scientific study. Take, for example, the Sinai leopard. Until recently rediscovered in the wilderness of Judea, that leopard was long considered extinct!

The Solitary Cat

How does the leopard escape human notice? He does it by being primarily a nocturnal beast​—and an exceedingly stealthy and secretive one at that. In areas where man presents a threat, the leopard is cautiously silent. Only when angered will he emit threatening lionlike growls and coughs. Under normal circumstances, his vocalization is far less intimidating: a harsh grating sound​—much like the sound of a saw cutting wood. According to the book Animals of East Africa, by C. T. Astley Maberly, it sounds like “Grunt-​ha! Grunt-​ha! Grunt-​ha! Grunt-​ha!​—usually ending in a harsh sighing note.” In keeping with his love for secrecy, the leopard also emits a variety of low-​intensity sounds, most of which humans cannot hear.

Furthermore, unlike the gregarious lion, the leopard is not a social cat. Although pairs are seen from time to time, leopards are solitary hunters. To reduce unexpected or hostile encounters, the leopard stakes out a claim of personal territory that may cover from 10 to 15 square miles [25 to 65 sq km]. He sprays a secretion from special glands to delineate the boundaries of his home range. The scent marker may inform other leopards as to the sex, age, sexual status, and possibly even the identity of the “landlord.”

Hunting is carried on with the leopard’s characteristic stealth. In Bible times he was known to lie in wait near towns, ready to pounce upon domestic animals with deadly swiftness. (Jeremiah 5:6; Hosea 13:7; Habakkuk 1:8) To protect his bounty from scavengers, such as hyenas and jackals, he stores his larger kills in the fork of a tree some 30 or 40 feet [9 or 12 m] above the ground. But how does he manage to haul the carcass of an antelope or a five-​foot-​tall [1.5 m] baby giraffe to such heights? This is not a secret the leopard gives up easily. But patient observers claim that it is achieved by sheer brute force. Leopards prefer to dine at leisure, bodies draped lazily over tree branches, and in total secrecy, camouflaged by the branches and foliage.

Left unchallenged, the leopard tends to be shy and retiring and will avoid a confrontation with man. So while some leopards have lost their fear of humans and have become man-​eaters, most pose little threat to humans. If injured or cornered, however, the leopard displays no fear whatsoever of his enemy. “An angry leopard,” writes Jonathan Scott in The Leopard’s Tale, “is the very incarnation of ferocity, . . . capable of concentrating all its considerable energy into a short range attack of lightning speed.”

Leopard Mothers

It is not surprising, then, that leopards also rear their cubs in relative secrecy. Newborn cubs are kept hidden, often in a cave, for the first two months of life. Though the father takes no part in rearing the cubs, the mother forms a close bond with them by feeding and cleaning them and keeping them warm. In time, the mother may move her litter of two or three cubs to a new home, carrying them in her mouth if they are still tiny or simply calling them to follow her if they are bigger.

A leopard mother also tries to keep her cubs out of the sight of enemies, such as baboons. But if baboons attack her cubs, she will charge them, endangering herself to give her cubs a chance to flee to safety. She also takes formidable risks to feed her cubs. The normally retiring cat will walk through a herd of trumpeting elephants in order to bring meat to her hungry offspring.

Interestingly, young leopards do not manifest their independent spirit for some time. Cubs are weaned at about six months but do not kill their own prey until they are a year old. Males do not become solitary adults until about two and a half years of age. Female cubs may continue sharing their mother’s home territory as adults.

The Leopard​—Finally at Peace?

But those cuddly kittens grow up to be killers. It may thus seem difficult to believe that the words of the prophet Isaiah could ever come true: “The wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down.”​—Isaiah 11:6.

Recent efforts to domesticate leopards have had only marginal success. Sieuwke Bisleti van der Laan and her husband raised a litter of cubs on their African farm. The cubs enjoyed “complete freedom” and were often hand-​fed. But they were never truly domesticated. Writes Sieuwke Bisleti: “Once a leopard is fully grown, he goes his own way. A lion will always love and obey you; a leopard will always recognise you but makes up his own mind on how he will react at any given moment.”

Eventually it was deemed dangerous to allow the grown cubs to continue roaming free about the farm. The decision was made to return them to the wild. Had being raised among friendly humans spoiled the young leopards? Hardly. Within three days of their release, the male was seen sitting by a waterbuck he had killed.

Nevertheless, such limited success in taming leopards does not invalidate Isaiah’s inspired prophecy of peace between leopard and goat. This startling event will take place, not by human efforts, but by divine intervention. God’s rule will do more, though, than bring peace to the animal kingdom. “The earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah,” predicted Isaiah. (Isaiah 11:1-9) Even men will therefore abandon the animalistic behavior that has bred war and division. At the same time, mankind’s attitude toward the animal world will also change. No longer will any beasts be the victims of wanton slaughter. Nor will man despoil their habitat or endanger their existence, because Jehovah will have ‘brought to ruin those ruining the earth.’​—Revelation 11:18.

A Night Meeting in Tanzania

AFTER the international convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kenya, we excitedly began our personal safari into Tanzania.

Our first stop was Lake Manyara National Park. We were amazed at the varied wildlife​—blue monkeys, impalas, cape buffalo, zebras, and more. Imagine gazing over a pond dotted with hippopotamuses. You watch a giraffe feeding on the other side, a lion in the distant grass, and a herd of wildebeests beyond that.

After arriving at Ngorongoro Crater, we hired a guide and four-​wheel-​drive vehicle for a day trip into the caldera (crater of a collapsed volcano). The bumpy ride took us some 2,000 feet [600 m] from the rim down to the crater floor. What a sight! Wildlife was spread across the vast plain. Herds of wildebeests moved as if in migration. Zebras, hartebeests, and Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles abounded. At one stop, a maned lion rested in the shade of our vehicle, unconcerned that we were right above him. Later we paused to observe black rhino in the distance and wild elephants close by feeding on the trees. As we drove back toward the rim, we recalled so many impressive animals. Had we missed any?

Well, yes, the African leopard. But the hope of seeing one in the wild is almost a fantasy. Photographer Erwin Bauer noted: “Tourists pursue leopards with rare enthusiasm and diligence, at least in part because the animals are extremely difficult to find, let alone photograph. Most travelers on typical safaris never even glimpse one. During my 15 safaris, I have seen a total of eight leopards, only one within camera range.”​—International Wildlife.

By nightfall we had another issue on our minds. Reservations at a lodge had been canceled, so we had to search for accommodations. This took us down a dirt road in pitch darkness. Suddenly the two of us in the front seat were startled. A blur of tan jumped right into the beams of our headlights. We stopped quickly and gasped in surprise!

There right before us was a full-​grown leopard! If those in the back seats felt at any disadvantage, that ended in an instant. The leopard dashed to the roadside on the right​—and froze. ‘What to do?’ he seemed to be pondering there in the lights and in view of all of us. ‘Attack, or turn my back on an unknown “enemy” and try to flee into the brush?’

Adrian, one of our companions, was the closest, just three or four feet [a meter] from this coiled spring of energy and beauty. “Quick, give me the flash,” he whispered while grabbing for his fully automatic camera. From behind came whispered warnings, “Don’t make a sound.” The camera was quickly readied and a picture taken, but it seemed a failure for the flash was deflected inside the van. As the batteries recycled, Adrian eased his window down. The leopard remained an arm’s length away, the tip of his tail twitching, his eyes glowing.

Just as soon as we took a second shot, he made his choice. The magnificent leopard sprang into the undergrowth and vanished. What excitement inside our van! An experience not to be forgotten, one that guides later told us was extremely rare. When that second photo turned out so well, we had it to reinforce our memories of that thrilling night-​meeting in Tanzania.

Watching the World

Hope for Stutterers

An Australian mother who had suffered the embarrassment of stuttering when a child was devastated at hearing her own children begin to stutter at an early age. So she became involved in a program developed jointly by speech therapists at a Sydney hospital and at Sydney University in New South Wales. The secret of success apparently lies in treating the children as young as possible. Many parents delay addressing the problem in the mistaken view that the child will grow out of the habit. As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald, the program “has been highly successful and offers the first prospect that stuttering might be completely curable.” It notes that it takes therapists only about ten hours to treat young children, but hundreds of hours were needed to treat adults and older children, in addition to the hours spent by parents at home. “Of 43 children treated between the ages of two and five, the ongoing study found that none had relapsed when followed up for between one and six years after treatment,” the paper said.

The “Business” of Religious Tourism

“Religious tourism is on the increase both in Italy and in the [rest of the] world,” writes La Repubblica. Experts estimate that, when tabulated, 1994 will “beat all previous records,” with from 35 million to 37 million visitors to Catholic religious buildings in Italy alone. Italy’s success, says the newspaper, is due to her “30,000 churches listed as being of artistic value, 1,500 sanctuaries, 700 diocesan museums, dozens of monasteries, abbeys, and convents.” The religious tourism constitutes a “business” with a turnover in excess of 4,000 billion lire [$2.5 billion, U.S.], the paper adds, “but in other countries too, religious tourism is having a magical moment.”

Eating Disorders Rising

Why is the number of those with the eating disorders of bulimia and anorexia increasing? Because of emotional conflicts that cause deep anxiety in a world that appears “frightening and out-​of-​control,” reports the magazine Your Family. The causes of their anxieties are complex, such as parental pressure to achieve, divorce of parents, and abuse. In addition, explains Dr. Danie le Grange, a member of the National Eating Disorders Committee, many fall prey to these disorders by poring over fashion magazines and studying diets in an obsessive effort to be slim or by adopting chaotic eating habits. Women between the ages of 18 and 22 are the most vulnerable, although patients as young as 8 have sought professional help. The victims can be successfully treated only if they want to be, says Dr. le Grange, noting that “full recovery is possible.” However, statistics show that as many as 18 percent of those who fall prey to the eating disorders die.

Delhi’s Missing Persons

More than 10,000 people are reported missing in Delhi, India’s capital, every year. Of these, only a third are ever traced. Fifty percent are children under 18, and males outnumber females 2 to 1. As reported in The Times of India, thousands of young girls end up in brothels. Young boys are forced by gangs of criminals into begging or are made to work long hours for little pay in small restaurants.

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cuba

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cuba have been enjoying more freedom to carry out their ministry, which has enabled them to share the good news of God’s Kingdom with the people. Though the work is not officially recognized and legalized, they have been allowed use of their former offices and have met together more freely for worship​—to such a degree that they have held small assemblies. They have been authorized to print magazines. Filled with joy and enthusiasm by these recent events, the Witnesses continue their work of preaching, striving to communicate the Bible’s message of hope.

Antarctica​—Once Warm and Green

A group of Australian and American scientists found fossils of “leaves, wood and pollen along with moss and insect eggs . . . just 500km [300 miles] from the South Pole, indicating a climate 20-25C [35°-45° F.] warmer than today,” reports the newspaper The Australian. The discovery of beetle eggs confirmed that the climate was warm enough to sustain insects. Additionally, water must have remained liquid, and the growing season lasted long enough for the plants to flower and set seed. During that same time, the report added, there were plants growing in Tasmania (the island state of Australia south of the mainland) that today grow no farther south than central New South Wales, a little less than 1,000 miles [1,600 km] to the north​—providing indirect corroboration that a warmer climate once nurtured the region.

Radial Keratotomy Update

Radial keratotomy, the popular surgical technique to correct myopia (poor distance vision) is performed on over a quarter million people in the United States each year. A second operation to fine-​tune the first one is needed in over 30 percent of the cases. Now, a ten-​year study sponsored by the National Eye Institute has determined “that the method is reasonably safe and effective but that it may lead to an accelerated decline in the ability to see things up close,” reports The New York Times. The detailed study on the aftermath of the surgery has turned up a previously little-​known aftereffect: gradual changes in the eye that cause close-​up vision to become progressively fuzzier. The visual decline was noted in 43 percent of those who underwent the surgery. While some of it could be attributed to normal aging, some “appeared to be attributable to the radial keratotomy procedure, which seemed to cause the change in some people at an earlier age,” the article said. “People should realize there are still unresolved issues,” said Dr. Peter J. McDonnell, cochairman of the study. “There is no guarantee of perfect vision.”

Relief for the Allergic

According to the World Health Organization, 20 percent of the world population have some kind of allergy, reports the Brazilian magazine Globo Ciência. “All indications are that allergies are a disease of civilization,” says immunologist Júlio Croce. “In the air there are more than ten thousand harmful substances.” Added to common causes, such as mites and pollution, are stress, excessive use of medicine, and chemical products used in food, cosmetics, and beverages. Even excessive physical exercise can lead to or aggravate asthma. However, if people learn correct breathing, “exercise can help to reduce the intensity and frequency of the attacks,” Dr. Croce says. Allergics should keep their bedroom clean and well ventilated and avoid contact with domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, or birds, as well as perfumes and other strongly scented products. They should also avoid sudden temperature changes, smoking, and alcoholic beverages and should take only prescribed medicine.

Deciphering Bureaucratic Vagueness in Japan

In Tokyo, when bureaucrats say, “Your opinion is valuable advice” or, “We will respond prudently to your suggestion,” it means that no further action is likely to be taken. Likewise, promises to “consider comprehensively” or “consider from many points of view” are also unlikely to produce tangible results. “We will study your proposal” generally means that nothing will change in the near future. Promises to “consider” are slightly more positive than “study,” and “thoroughly consider” means that an idea might even be implemented. Thus a senior bureaucrat explained terms commonly used during Tokyo City assembly meetings, says The Daily Yomiuri, in response to citizens’ complaints that they have “no clear idea as to whether the government is for or against” submitted proposals. The reason for vagueness, states the newspaper, is that “bureaucrats are careful not to make assembly members lose face by bluntly rejecting their suggestions.”

Medicines in the Garbage

According to a German health insurance company, the quantity of medicines sold or prescribed in Germany is so high that each man, woman, and child could take 1,250 pills a day. What do people do with all these products? A huge number are not used, reports Süddeutsche Zeitung, but are simply thrown away. “We cannot afford to allow medicines worth millions to land in the garbage year after year,” lamented the head of an association of health insurance companies. They have requested that physicians and the pharmaceutical industry give patients more detailed information about the medicines they receive and do so in “understandable German.”

From Our Readers

Freedom of Thought Often I had just let my mind drift, dwelling on undesirable thoughts. That is why I was astounded to read the article “The Bible’s Viewpoint: Does the Bible Discourage Freedom of Thought?” (June 8, 1994) I never realized that Jehovah God would view it as a sin if one willfully contemplated a wrong course. Thanks to Jehovah for giving me such straightforward counsel that will help me to adjust my crooked thinking!

J. P., Philippines

Romance Problems Thank you so much for the articles “Young People Ask . . . What If I Fall For an Unbeliever?” (May 22, 1994) and “How Can I Stop Liking Someone?” (June 8, 1994) A workmate of mine developed strong feelings for me, and I found myself becoming attracted to her. I knew this was wrong and prayed to Jehovah for help. When I saw these articles, I read them over and over again. Now I realize that the short-​term heartache that would result from breaking things off is far better than the lifelong problems that would result from a harmful relationship.

P. J., United States

It seems like the articles were written just for me! I wonder what would have happened to me if these articles had not been published. Thanks for knowing the problems youths face.

S. J., Nigeria

I have a crush on a boy in my class. He is very attractive and very gentle. Since reading the article, though, I keep asking myself, ‘Does he share my goals and way of life?’ After considering this, I realize just how much of a fool I’ve been till now. I want to get over this infatuation soon!

S. T., Japan

I fell for an unbeliever and married him. He went to Christian meetings just to please me. Once we got married, he changed. He even tried to stop me from serving Jehovah. Then he beat me and was unfaithful. Now I find myself divorced. If only all the young ones could see how serious it is to date an unbeliever! I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.

T. F., Puerto Rico

Stress Thank you so much for the article “The Bible’s Viewpoint: What Can Help You Cope With Stress?” (September 8, 1994) I was raised a Christian but left the truth in my teenage years. I’ve been back three years now, but I’m married to an unbeliever. I constantly dwell on the mistakes that I made, not realizing that this is the reason I’ve been stressed out so much. Thank you for helping me see that it does no good to dwell on the past. Rather, I should work on my future.

R. L., United States

You said that ‘people of all ages are experiencing stress.’ I’m 21 and suffer from acute stress. I’ve been in the hospital twice within eight months for muscle spasms and stress-​related migraines. Each time the doctors have told me I’m too young to be stressed out. Your article thus gave me a small sigh of relief.

V. P., United States

Geography Lesson I’m an 11-​year-​old girl, and I appreciated the article “Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca” very much. (June 22, 1994) In geography class the teacher asked us if people lived on Lake Titicaca. All my classmates said no. Having read Awake!, I answered yes. The teacher asked me how I knew, providing me the opportunity to give her a good witness.

S. B., Italy

The Belt That Saves Lives

“SAFETY-​BELT use is one of the most effective means of reducing the number and severity of injuries in motor-​vehicle crashes,” says the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). According to one study, the risk of dying in an automobile accident is reduced by 43 percent when passengers make proper use of safety belts. The risk of serious injury is reduced by about 50 percent.

Safety-​belt-​use legislation was first enacted by the Australian government in 1970. Now some 35 countries require safety-​belt use. Violators are often subject to fines and in some cases even risk having their driving privileges suspended. Some governments have enacted laws that require passengers in all seating positions (both front and rear seats) to wear safety belts.

MMWR reports that “an estimated 300,000 persons die and 10-15 million persons are injured each year in traffic crashes throughout the world.” Those figures would have been greatly reduced had all those people been wearing seat belts.

A Date You Should Not Forget

The evening before he died, Jesus shared a loaf of unleavened bread and a cup of wine with his apostles and said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”​—Luke 22:19.

This year the observance falls on Friday April 14 after sunset. As a result of Jesus’ command, millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and interested persons around the world will be gathered this special night to repeat this Memorial in the manner Jesus directed. You are most warmly invited to assemble with us. Please check with Jehovah’s Witnesses locally for the exact time and place of the meeting.