A great poem by Rudyard Kipling to remind us to remain grounded in the truth with strength, humbleness and forgiveness.
Rudyard Kipling "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 on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe 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!
This is top shelf stuff. Even better when read aloud by an experienced orator. If you like his style and you haven’t read the Jungle Book, I would highly recommend it. My favourite short story ( at the end of the Jungle Book ) was about a mongoose called Riki Tiki Tavi.
Thank you. I located the short story and will read later today when I have a quiet moment.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/JrKhNBnyO3Wb/
Needed that
Watched and forwarded link to my mother who keeps this poem on her fridge. Thank you.
I have always loved Kiplings "IF". Reminded me of a poem that impacted me as a child:
House by the Side of the Road- Sam walter Foss
There are hermit souls that live withdrawn In the place of their self-content; There are souls like stars, that dwell apart, In a fellowless firmament; There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths Where highways never ran- But let me live by the side of the road And be a friend to man.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road Where the race of men go by- The men who are good and the men who are bad, As good and as bad as I. I would not sit in the scorner's seat Nor hurl the cynic's ban- Let me live in a house by the side of the road And be a friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of the road By the side of the highway of life, The men who press with the ardor of hope, The men who are faint with the strife, But I turn not away from their smiles and tears, Both parts of an infinite plan- Let me live in a house by the side of the road And be a friend to man.
I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead, And mountains of wearisome height; That the road passes on through the long afternoon And stretches away to the night. And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice And weep with the strangers that moan, Nor live in my house by the side of the road Like a man who dwells alone.
Let me live in my house by the side of the road, Where the race of men go by- They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong, Wise, foolish - so am I. Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat, Or hurl the cynic's ban? Let me live in my house by the side of the road And be a friend to man
Awesome! Thank you for sharing. This is one I will need to read multiple times, slowly, line by line,
Words to live by! Keep it posted! Trump comes to mind!
I have this framed on my wall.
Yeah, well I can't keep my head in these ridiculous times.
I've been trying to get someone to make a video with this poem and Kyle Rittenhouse.
Cleaning graffiti, putting out fires, removing the dumpster from the roadway, offering aid. Cut to him running for his life and getting assaulted. Fighting for his life.
Cut to the media eviscerating him a a mass shooter. A white supremacist, etc. Cut to his trial. Crying on the stand. Etc
Thinks would be powerful.