heading down the correct path - Pace and Cap

Tim Y · 10-21-2008, 06:04 PM

Both my parents are gone now, and there isn't a day goes by that I don't think of how UNIQUE my childhood was being directed by them. They never dictated to me but provided me with several good solid choices so it was as if it was ME making a decision when all the while they had set up all the parameters directing me toward a good end.

On my 16th birthday my mother gave me a simple card for my birthday. In it were words of wisdom written a very long time ago in another country, but evoked the kind of generously caring direction that she always put me on. I was amazed (at that time but not later) at how seemingly irrelevant all of the content was, but I kept it in my wallet for over 20 years until I had to, at last, make another to carry it with me.

YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE WISDOM
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!

All these years later, I thank her every day for that direction and insight.

10-21-2008, 06:04 PM	#1
Tim Y turf historian Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 6,455	heading down the correct path Both my parents are gone now, and there isn't a day goes by that I don't think of how UNIQUE my childhood was being directed by them. They never dictated to me but provided me with several good solid choices so it was as if it was ME making a decision when all the while they had set up all the parameters directing me toward a good end. On my 16th birthday my mother gave me a simple card for my birthday. In it were words of wisdom written a very long time ago in another country, but evoked the kind of generously caring direction that she always put me on. I was amazed (at that time but not later) at how seemingly irrelevant all of the content was, but I kept it in my wallet for over 20 years until I had to, at last, make another to carry it with me. YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE WISDOM 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! All these years later, I thank her every day for that direction and insight. Last edited by Tim Y; 10-21-2008 at 06:07 PM.