📝📜 Daily Journal Prompt 88

Subject: Embracing Personal Growth: A Reflection on Rudyard Kipling's 'If"

Hey Friends

Welcome Back 👋

Today, as I sit waiting for my highly anticipated copy of Drakes new poetry book "Titles Ruin Everything" (I'll pause while you get your jokes in.....) 😅 I was reminded of one of my all time favorite poems that was introduced to me by the great and powerful Lex Fridman!  This age-old classic speaks to the heart of personal discipline and the strength of character. The poem is none other than "If—" by Rudyard Kipling, a powerful piece of literature that has inspired countless individuals through its wise and encouraging words. It became even more memorable for me listening to Lex read this, which I will link below 👇

                 If- By Rudy 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 wornout 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."​

Each verse of Kipling's masterpiece highlights different aspects of personal discipline, resilience, patience, and the ability to maintain a balanced perspective on life. From trusting oneself amid doubt to treating success and failure as equals, the poem encapsulates a profound philosophy of life. It teaches us to persevere in the face of adversity, to maintain our integrity in all circumstances, and to value every moment of our lives.

In the spirit of this timeless piece, today's journal prompt asks you to reflect on Kipling's wisdom.

How do these lines resonate with your understanding of discipline and character? Can you recall instances where you've embodied the qualities described in the poem? How have these moments shaped you and your outlook on life?

I have always had a profound love in my heart for poetry, the way some people are capable of crafting words together and turning them into something like that 👆 Really amazes me. I hope you found some beauty in it as well.

Until our next journey into the world of literature, keep embodying the wisdom of Kipling's words. Embrace resilience, hold onto your integrity, and cherish every moment of your life.

With all my heart

Your Friend, Austin ❤✌

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