IF, my son...

                      March is extremely busy time for those employed with the government for the fact that "targets" are on the head and have to managed achieve them. For the home makers, the examination of kids and preparation of Holi is dual task and the resultant non-cooperation in household chores by the "better-half". 

                So one fine day I was assigned task of making kid learn and prepare for English literature examination and this was the opportunity for me to get acquainted with some kids stuff like Shakespearean play King Lear and few poems. Of these one poem by Rudyard Kipling touched me as it was something we all parents try to teach our kids, irrespective of our age, our background, our capability and our social standings. It is something which our parents told us every time and again. As I was explaining the meaning of stanzas and key teachings of the poem, I felt that this needs to be shared with everyone whether kids or adults as it is something which we all need when facing social situations, defeats, treachery, deceit, losses, love, bitching and ethical dilemmas. 

                    Parenting is tough and its a 24*7 duty/job/obligation/debt whatever you call, and the most beautiful thing is that you have to evolve as your kids grow up. Most intriguing situation is when your kids are of different age group and they have different queries, life situations, different approaches for trivial (for them they are great philosophical utility) thoughts. You subdue your personality for their growth and suddenly find that they need a better format of yourself. My kids now "correct" me by telling that it is "Cyan" and not "Blue" or informing that I better call Purple as "Magenta". Things change fast, kids grow faster. Do read:

                                          "IF" 

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 worn-out 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! 

- Rudyard Kipling