It's Very Hot, And I'm Bored.

[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 all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath 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

Or a woman. This is my favorite poem; Jen read it for the poetry read. I remember first reading this poem in a Reader's Digest Inspirational book many many years ago, feeling so very inspired and emotional afterwards. I mean, it's a lot to live by, but I guess the point is more that we try. Anyhow, that guy was a literary genius!

Listening to the poem again made me think about what I want in my own daughter 10, 20, 30 years from now. Yeah seriously, it's not like I've matured to a point where I can actually talk about the desired virtues for future Mini Melissa; I haven't nailed anything in that poem at all, but I just can't help but think. That I want my daughter to grow up in a home where her parents love each other deeply and she never has to worry about them splitting up. I want my daughter to grow up not in a rich or poor household, but one where she learns how to be frugal, but that she would be comfortable. I want future Anne, Ava, or Leah to experience life to the absolute fullest, that she would never pass am opportunity because she is afraid to take risks. That she wouldn't be afraid of failure or hard work or confrontation or taxes or anything like that. I want my duaghter to develop a passion and goals early in life, unlike her mother, and work towards those goals so that she would feel she has a clear purpose in life. I want my daughter to love, fall in love, receive love, and give love, never selfish and never being too afraid of getting hurt. I want my daughter to find God and truly know Him, trust Him, and tell the whole world about Him. Basically, these are things that I hope for myself, but I truly wish for my future daughter since she would have an entire life to start from.

But HAH, a daughter?? Who am I kidding.