Grenville Kleiser for April 11th

I mentioned in a previous post that I have a copy of Inspirations and Ideals, a book by a professor of public speaking at Yale Divinity School, first published in 1910. The book is a set of inspirational thoughts, with one page devoted to each day of the year. 

I can see that Professor Kleiser is more focused on hope, positivity, and personal empowerment than acceptance of one's fate and circumstances. 

Acceptance works better for me personally than positivity (partly because it helps me see better what's possible), but no matter. It may not work for other people.

Here's his entry for April 11th. The bold type is in the original:

It is a great gift to be able to sit still and meditate when all around is noise, bustle, and confusion. The restless spirit in most men is constantly urging them on to some perspiring project, to keep going in the hope of getting at least somewhere, to strain all the energies toward some mighty enterprise. Application and diligence are desirable qualities to possess, nay essential, but a well-planned life demands, too, intervals of silence and quietude for mental and spiritual growth, for the building of airy castles, for tracing out detailed plans, and estimating future prospects and possibilities. The hours you spend in quiet meditation and deliberation are necessary to intelligent planning, living, and working. 

I understand "meditate" to mean here quiet concentration or quiet reflection.