The following poem illustrates why self-mastery is so important. Without it, we’re at the mercy of our mercurial emotions and are more apt to be crushed by Life’s cruelties.
On Down the Road
Hold to the course, though the storms are about you;
Stick to the road where the banner still flies;
Fate and his legions are ready to rout you—
Give ’em both barrels—and aim for their eyes.
Life’s not a rose bed, a dream or a bubble,
A living in clover beneath cloudless skies;
And Fate hates a fighter who’s looking for trouble,
So give ‘im both barrels—and shoot for the eyes.
Fame never comes to the loafers and sitters,
Life’s full of knots in a shifting disguise;
Fate only picks on the cowards and quitters,
So give ’em both barrels—and aim for the eyes.
~Grantland Rice.
Your Friend and Pep Pal,
Lauren
