I’ve had some heavy things on my mind lately…and I’m sick of it! So I’ll be back here soon to have some fun! In the meantime: I was reminded of a poem that someone left for me in the comments of this blog, once upon a time, when I really needed it. I needed it again today and as I reread it, so much of it reminded me of Richard. And so I think it belongs here.
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 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!
It’s one of my favourite poem. Russian translation is very good as well. And yes, it reminds me of Richard. And of my husband, who loved this poem too.
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Sorry to hear your mind is occupied with heavy things at the mo. Hope it’ll clear up soon. Hugs!
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sometimes I scoot things off to the side b/c I don’t want to deal with them but eventually they make their way back again. blah! just part of being human 😉
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My mom made me memorize that when I was 12. It’s been very useful.
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I came to it a bit later, at 18 as part of a graduation gift, but it has been something that has guided me ever since.
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Hope the thoughts will not weigh down for long and things will look better and it’s a really good poem to go back to when one feels like this, hugs
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thank you for the hugs, I’ll take them! luckily I have some understanding and insightful friends that have helped me talk it out ❤
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