Brace yourselves - it's a long one... (actually that's not a bad philosophy in itself!)
I just read a fabulous book by Dr Seuss. Yes, that Dr Seuss. It's for kids, obviously, but, well, I liked it. This is what he says -
Oh! The Places You'll Go!
Congratulations! / Today is your day. / You're off to Great Places! / You're off and away!
You have brains in your head. / You have feet in your shoes. / You can steer yourself / any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know. / And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. look 'em over with care. / About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there." / With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, / you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any / you'll want to go down. / In that case, of course, / you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there / in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen / and frequently do / to people as brainy / and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, / don't worry. Don't stew. / Just go right along. / You'll start happening too.
OH! / THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up! / You'll be seeing great sights! / you'll join the high fliers / who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. / You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. / Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best. / Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don't. / Because sometimes you won't.
I'm sorry to say so / but sadly, it's true / that Bang-ups / and Hang-ups / can happen to you.
You can get all hung up / in a prickle-ly perch. / And your gang will fly on. / You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch / with an unpleasant bump. / And the chances are, then, / that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump, / you're not in for much fun. / Un-slumping yourself / is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. / Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked. / A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! / Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? / How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right . . . / or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? / Or go around back and sneak in from behind? / Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, / for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused / that you start in to race / down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace / and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, / headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. / The Waiting Place . . .
. . . for people just waiting./ Waiting for a train to go / or a bus to come, or a plane to go / or the mail to come, or the rain to go / or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow / or waiting around for a Yes or No / or waiting for their hair to grow. / Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for a fish to bite / or waiting for wind to fly a kite / or waiting around for Friday night / or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake / or a pot to boil, or a Better Break / or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants / or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. / Everyone is just waiting.
NO! / That's not for you!
Somehow you'll escape / all that waiting and staying. / You'll find the bright places / where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, / once more you'll ride high! / Ready for anything under the sky. / Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! / There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. / And the magical things you can do with that ball / will make you the winning-est winner of all. / Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be, / with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't. / Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times / you'll play lonely games too. / Games you can't win / 'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone! / Whether you like it or not, / alone will be something / you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance / you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. / There are some, down the road between hither and yon, / that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go / though the weather be foul. / On you will go / though your enemies prowl. / On you will go / though the Hakken-Kraks howl. / Onward up many / a frightening creek, / though your arms may get sore / and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike. / And I know you'll hike far / and face up to your problems / whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course, / as you already know. / You'll get mixed up / with many strange birds as you go. / So be sure when you step. / Step with care and great tact / and remember that Life's / a Great Balancing Act. / Just never forget to be dextrous and deft. / And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed? / Yes! You will, indeed! / (98 and 3/4 per cent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So . . . / be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray / or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, / you're off to Great Places! / Today is your day! / Your mountain is waiting. / So . . . get on your way!
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Despite what I said, this is obviously not just for kids. What a pep-talk!
Hope you liked it.
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