Perfect Poem Three Times on Three Seperate Days

My mother was a very wise woman. Nearly six months before suffering a brain hemorrhage that would change her forever, she came up with the most brilliant plan to prepare me for life. 

I am so grateful, and the very best thing I can do with what she taught me is to share it with others.

I was a very young child, and I was saving every penny I could for something I wanted.  At the same time, my mother offered a large sum of money to me if I would learn a particular poem and recite it to her perfectly, three times, on three separate days, without a mistake.

It was a long work of words, titled, If, by Rudyard Kipling. 

Needless to say I worked day and night on it, reciting it in front of the mirror as I brushed by teeth and going over it by flashlight when I was put to bed at night.  I didn't understand many of the words, and, at the time I really didn't know what the whole thing meant.  All I knew was, it was a very important thing to my mother and would earn me a prize.

I am not going to write out the entire work here, as anyone who wishes, can look it up easily, with only a click and most people have read it a time or two in a graduation card.  It is presented many times at the door frame, with one foot on the other side, to the big adult plunge.

As it is presented in an offhanded manner, it is not often pondered and unless it is memorized, one does not grasp the importance of each stanza and where it fits in daily practice.

Keeping your head about you is not what is on your mind at graduation when you think you can go out and take the world by storm, but, it really is what the whole journey ahead is all about. 

Trusting yourself and yet being open to the opinions of others,  is hardly the attitude you rely on in your 20's, when you think you know it all.

The concepts of waiting patiently, the very idea that people will lie, but not to do it.  Walking with crowds or royalty, without falling prey to poor actions. Being humble and honest and yet not blasting that over a loudspeaker is very difficult but essential.

Trying your best and forcing better from yourself when you are spent beyond your abilities, risking, and starting over as necessary without complaining.  Acceptance of obstacles to your dreams and yet not letting them be your master. Treating the imposters of triumph and of disaster mean everything in daily practice. 

It's all contained in this one work by an author I admire very much. 

Throughout my years that poem has served me, first by letting me know, it's not unexpected to run into difficulties.  Every time vexation or failure, tried to overwhelm me, or adorn me with the mantle of making a hasty but poor choice of reaction, a part of that poem has come to mind.

Many times, when I need to soothe my ruffled feathers or think of what should come next, I have started at the beginning and recited that poem.  It works. 

In my opinion, with experiences gathered, I believe with all my being that it should be memorized by every single child as groundwork to living well and keeping a sound mind. 

The amazing thing is, the issues it addresses are not the ones you'll get the hang of eventually.  They are ones that you can continue to flub up on again and again and never really understand. 

The ending of the poem, which works for a rhyme, says what will be gained by following the aforementioned principles is that....you will be a man my son.  Well, I am not a man and did not become one, but I can recognize a gifted individual when I meet one.  I think there, that the author just spent his inspirational juice, said what he wanted to say, and left the room, a little empty. Maybe making interesting rhymes was such a hard task that he went for the obvious. 

Following the words in the poem will equip anyone to face what is ahead with assurance that it can be done and done well. 

See, right here, I am out of inspirational fuel for my fire to share and still, I am going to encourage that you pull out your pocketbook, offer your children enough money to get this whole thing off the ground, and then, sit back and know, you just did a very worthy thing without another step. 

Unless it is to offer yourself a prize and first memorize it yourself. 

My mother did not look at a paper as I recited to her, she corrected me until I went back and got it right.  She knew it in her heart as I do in mine.

Gratefully offered,

Mary