i went with family to a small town in indiana called french lick, it is now a casino location but was once a heath spa, as it is located around a number of natural sulfur springs, they call the water pluto water. in an antique shop i found a set of books called the how and why library, five books written for education, likely used in homeschooling from the 40s, each is dedicated to a greek god, who presides over the subject of the tome. in one of them i found a poem that i really like.
The Self Master
by Dr. Frank Crane
Everyone of us wants to amount to something in the world. We want to be somebody and to do something worth while.
The most important thing for us to learn is that we cannot succeed with other people until we have learned to succeed with ourselves.
No one can be superior to others until he is superior to himself.
The failure and criminals of the world are made up mostly of those who never learned to control themselves.
It is natural that we should want good things to eat, but unless we learn how to use our will power and refuse to eat things that are harmful or to eat more than is good for us, we shall ruin our health.
It is natural for us to want to play, but unless we learn to control this desire and make ourselves work when work is necessary, we shall never gain respect and reward.
The most manly boy is the one who has learned not to give way to all his feelings. We all admire the boy who does not cry when he is hurt nor complain when he loses nor sulk when he does not get his own way.
Everybody wants to have people like him. And the surest way to be disliked by everybody is to show that you have no control over yourself
Those who have no control are unhappy; they are not only miserable themselves, but they make others miserable.
That boy or girl who is self-reliant is the one who is sure towin the esteem of other people.
The weakling and mollycoddles are always trying to get other people to help them, while the kind of boy we like is the the boy who depends on himself.
The girl who is thoughtful of others, who tries to make others happy, and is not always thinking of herself, is the girl who is the greatest favorite.
Nothing is so important for us to learn as the fact that our enjoyment of life and our success in life depends on ourselves.
We need strong bodies, strong minds and strong wills. This strength comes from self-discipline.
No help that we get from our parents, our teachers or from anybody else can take the place of the help we give ourselves.
Those who make a mark on the world are those who have developed a strength within themselves.
And best of all, those who are loved by everybody are those who are independent, cheerful and brave.
No one can expect to be a master of other people until he has learned to be master of himself.
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