Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever Gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance,

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade.

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how straight the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll;

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.”

–William Ernest Henley (Titled “Invictus”)

“Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

But he with a chuckle replied,

That “maybe it couldn’t” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So be buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried, he hid it.

And he started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done. And he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that,

At least no one ever has done it.”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

And before he knew, he’d begun it.

With the lift of his chin and the bit of a grin,

If any doubt rose he forbid it;

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands who tell you

It cannot be done,

There are thousands who prophesy failure;

There are thousands who point out to you one by one

The dangers that wait to assail you,

But just buckle right in with the trace of a grin,

Then take off your coat and go do it.

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That cannot be done, and you’ll do it.

–Egar Albert Guest (Titled “Don’t Give Up”)

These two poems are the poems that I live by. 😉 I have memorized the first, and I am working on memorizing the second. They have both helped me immeasurably.

A day without laughter is a day wasted.

Never forget to tell the people you love that you love them….for you never know when you’ll get the chance again.

while others with great vices are delightful.

Love each other, trust each other, have no secrets, but above all, be the best of friends.

~Carlos Castaneda

“What comes around, goes around”

and

“Do unto others as you would have done to you”

never let them rest

until good becomes better

and better becomes best.

Winston Churchill