Some 4th Grade Wisdom

Taylor has the most amazing teacher this year. We all love her. She knows how to motivate and inspire and I think that those two things are the most important gifts a teach can possess. This year, she's had each of her students memorize this passage, written by Keith Kennedy. Taylor recited it to me the other night. I LOVED it, and had him write it down for me.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Keith Kennedy @ 1985

FACE it...Nobody owes you a living.

What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime is

directly related to what you do or fail to do.

No one chooses his parents or childhood

But you can choose your own direction!

Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome

But that too is relative to each individual.

NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE...you can change

anything in your life if you want to badly enough.

EXCUSES ARE FOR LOSERS. Those who take responsibility for

their actions are the real winners in life.

Winners meet life's challenges head on, knowing there are

no guarantees and give it all they've got.

It's never too late or too early to begin.

Time plays no favorites and will pass whether you

act or not.

Take control of YOUR life.

Dare to dream and take risks...

If you aren't willing to work for your goals, don't expect others to.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!

I wish we could post this up on billboards across the nation. Just think what our nation would be like if each of our citizen's followed this advice? Wow. I don't know how many times I've heard people blame different things or people for their own choices, pointed fingers at other people and used them as an excuse for giving up or quitting. And then go on to point fingers at people who are successful and say that it was because of other people that they got to be where they are, or say that it was because they just had more opportunity. What about hard work and sacrifice? I know that support plays a big part of success, but based on past experience, I also know that having a lot of support is not necessary to succeed. Sometimes we have to lay it all out on the line, give it all we've got regardless of what other people think of us and just go for it. And succeed or fail, we've gained knowledge and wisdom through the very experience. Then we can take what we've gained and apply it to our next endeavor. None of that comes from financial backing, doting parents, or popularity...it all comes from within.