Saturday, November 18, 2017

Words to think about





Haven't been here in a while. Life stuff.


Getting back to normal. For some values of normal :)


It's almost Thanksgiving. Boy, do I have a lot to be thankful for!


Here are the words. Kipling's "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!

Perhaps they are words to live by...

13 comments:

  1. Nothing like a bit of Kipling on a Saturday morn to awaken the brain and stir the soul.

    Welcome back!

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    1. Thanks Sarge. Kipling is always thought provoking. And the humanities folks hate him, which is always a good recommendation!

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  2. Good to see you posting, I've missed you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

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    1. Thanks Brig. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving as well.

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  3. I've missed you too. Happy to read that it's only life keeping you for blogging. Post as and when you can, your friends are pleased to read whatever and whenever. How is the night shift working out?

    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. Thanks Paul. Night shift is fantastic. All those poor suckers going to work in the morning when I'm heading out to go fishing. :)

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    2. Night shift is the best shift. Yay, Creatures Of The Darkness!

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  4. Good to hear from you again. We are thankful for so much. Including the forthcoming turkey and of course the yummy critter you help put on our tables.
    John

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  5. How nice to see you are back! You and your posts are one of the things I am grateful for.

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