A Message from the Aether

For as long as I can recall, I've collected bits of wisdom, quotes, and epigrams that I've found amusing, interesting, or worth pondering. I'm fairly certain I started collecting because a girl I knew (and wanted to date) had her own collection. (Amazing how that works, isn't it?)

At first, I wasn't very organized about it. I just scribbled things down. I didn't keep very good track of my sources either. I was simply saving random bits of knowledge that spoke to me in some way. I couldn't tell you where I'd found it, who had written/spoken it, or where it was originally published...but I had the wisdom.

Sometimes, I'd print things out and tape them to places where I'd see them on a regular basis, including computer monitors, keyboards, refrigerators, etc. The photo shows one such poem after a bit of mileage beyond what is typical.

I found the paper in the driveway one morning, dripping wet, bedraggled, and a little worse for wear. I don't know how it got there and I'm not sure how long it had been there. The point is that I found it and realized it was something I'd saved years before. It was something that had helped me get through college.

I can't tell you where it's from and I have no idea who to credit it to. I can tell you that I added the last line because the poem itself made a lot of sense to me at the time.

I thought I'd share it because it showed up at a time I needed the reminder.

The text is as follows:

It's not easy...

-- to apologize,
-- to begin over,
-- to be unselfish,
-- to take advice,
-- to admit error,
-- to face a sneer,
-- to be charitable,
-- to keep trying,
-- to be considerate,
-- to avoid mistakes,
-- to endure sucess,
-- to profit by mistakes,
-- to forgive and forget,
-- to think and then act,
-- to keep out of a rut,
-- to make the best of little,
-- to subdue an unruly temper,
-- to shoulder an undeserved blame,
-- to recognize the silver lining.

But it always pays (generally)

You might think it's a little much, maybe even a little preachy. Like I said, it was something I was grateful to find and re-read after all the recent drama. I took it as a message from the aether, something the Universe had placed at the right place and the right time to remind me of the kind of person I want to be, if I can.

I thought I'd share. Enjoy.

--f

Photo credit: Me.