Inspired by IF

I recently got reminded of a poem I used to adore as a young girl. The last few weeks, I have been quite saddened by the actions and words (or more accurately, the lack of the abovementioned two) of someone whom I loved and treated as a friend. ‘How easily people forget…’ was a common refrain on my lips and in the shake of my head. But then again… that’s what they do. Forget. I guess cos we’re negative people by nature, and so the good is easily forgotten when the bad is so vivid in memory.

And so I suddenly remembered this poem and this specific part stood out:

If by Rudyard Kipling (an extract…)

“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 imposters just the same …”

Trivia time… did you know that the last line above is written on the wall of the Wimbledom stadium, just as the players enter?

Life is the sum of your attitudes and actions. And if you allow other people’s attitudes and actions to determine how you would live your life, then you’d have a very sad life indeed.

And while I found myself over-mulling about the actions and attitudes of the people around me, I got reminded that hey… people may like you or people may dislike you, but like all other turns in life, let’s always remember to guard our hearts! In other words, I need to get a move-on! Haha!

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