Friday, January 12, 2007

Poem of the day

If

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 impostors 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 worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all 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!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)


Thanks to Sidhusaaheb for sharing this Kipling gem.



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8 comments:

Sidhusaaheb said...

It's my favourite poem!

:)

Naomi said...

It must be! I just posted it! LOL

By the way, Sidhusaaheb, this poem immediately became one of my favorites. It truly represents how I try to pattern my life and what I try to teach my children. I am posting 'If' here because I think a lot of people could benefit from the message, including me. :)

Thank you for bringing the Light to this page.

Alina said...

The first time I read this poem I was in secondary school. I instantly loved it, yet my first thought was "It's so difficult to live by these rules". I still think it's difficult, but also rewarding.

Naomi said...

Yes, Alina, many people find these principles difficult to live by. For me, it had to become part of my lifestyle - much like The Prayer of St. Francis.

What you have read on my site - about the challenges I've faced in life - is just the tip of the iceberg. For someone who tries to keep a low profile, I've dealt with enough "stuff" to make up two books.

Keeping my focus on God, rather than myself, has helped me not only to cope, but to survive. Is is easy? No, not really. But I persevere, just the same. :-)

Ian Lidster said...

One of my favorites, too. Actually I have it posted in my home office. Thank you for Kipling's wisest gem.Also noticed your comment about the Prayer of St. Francis. Me too.

Cheers,
Ian

Naomi said...

Ian, thank you for your thoughtful comments. When I first took notice of you and your work, it was clear to me that you reflect the Light. :)

G.Gar said...

I love the quote:)

Naomi said...

Thanks, Amre. :)