Thursday, July 30, 2009

If

by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

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!

(One of my favorite poems; it is precisely in this manner how I want to live my life.)

Saturday, July 25, 2009

To Live

"To live content with small means," observed William Henry Channing, an eighteenth-century inspirational and spiritual American leader, "to seek elegance rather than luxury and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich, to study hard, think quietly, talk gently. Act frankly. To listen to stars and birds. To babes and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never."

"In a word, to let the spiritual unbidden and unconsciousness grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony."

Saturday, July 18, 2009

There is no ...

amount of money in the world can buy hunger and desire.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Wimbledon

Today, a magnificent epic tennis battle took place at Wimbledon between the 14 Grand Slam winner, Roger Federer, and his American challenger Andy Roddick. It was a battle of roller coasters where both players tried to wrestle the control away from each other.

After four hours of hard fighting, the match reached its climatic end in the fifth set, where both players exhibited impossible nerves and will. 8 all, 9 all, 10 all ... audiences both in the arena and around the world could not believe what they were watching and how long the players could play at such a high level - they simply will not quit.

Unfortunately for Andy, after giving everything he had, a couple of mistakes finally crept in in the 30th game of the set (the set!), and went down 16-14.

This perhaps will be hailed as one of the greatest tennis matches of all times. As a tennis fan, I feel blessed to have the privilege of watching both of these men competing with everything they have; they are not just a testament for their sport, but for human spirit as well.

Congratulations to Roger Federer - you are the greatest tennis player that ever lived and probably ever will live. It is unlikely anyone will ever surpass your achievements in future generations. It is a gift to watch you play with such grace and elegance.

As for Andy Roddick, you are a hero with tremendous heart. You never gave up today and you inspired so many people around the world with what is possible when you have the will.

When Roddick was asked if he struggled to stay positive after losing the second set, he replied: “You know, at that point, like everything else, there's two options: you lay down or you keep going. The second option sounded better to me."

And what else can one add to that? That's as plain as it gets, both on and off the tennis court.

Keep going Andy. You da man!