8.21.2009

If

One of my all-time favorite poems, it should be read out loud with some inspiring music in the background. If we took up this noble charge, we would truly be people to reckon with!
As for the picture, don't you find little Rudyard adorable in his new suit?

If
By Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!



Picture from http://www.squidoo.com/rudyard_kipling

7 comments:

  1. I memorized that poem a few years ago. Its chockfull of helpful advice!

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  2. That's a wonderful poem! So full of wisdom and biblical truths. Was Kipling a Christian? (Showing my ignorance here...)

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  3. That would be a wonderful poem to memorize, Rebecca! I've read it often enough that I should just memorize it!
    I'm ignorant, too, Sarah. I know I have read a story by him in which he debunks evolution in a very sarcastic and funny way, though. Does anyone else have any input?

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  4. Wonderful poem, girls! Thanks for sharing!

    I was wondering...wasn't it your birthday this last Wednesday??
    Blessings,
    ~Raquel

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  5. You're welcome, Raquel--I'm glad you enjoyed it! You have a good memory; our birthday was on the 9th, so it was just a few weeks ago.
    God bless!

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  6. So it's 3:18 on a Tuesday afternoon, and guess what? No new post! I may have to un-follow this blog - what a let down! JK :p

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  7. Come back, Sarah, come back! It's up, I just had to go through the 1,000 pictures from our trip (no kidding), run 2 miles, conduct an interview with a new student for the fall, and make lunch. Is that good enough for my unusually late post? ;-)

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