Uplifting thoughts :)

[Guest guest]

Sometimes with all the physical problems and a few of the other kind in my life I sometimes I allow myself to get down in the dumps. (like most of us can) I always go back and read this poem and it makes me feel better. I hope it will be as uplifting to some of you as it is for me. One of my friends just sent it to me in an email on another group I'm with. I have had this poem for so long. I wonder who wrote it? I learned that it's alright to fall once in a while but we should always try to get back up.

Lynn

Quit, Give up! You're beaten! They shout at me and plead.There's just too much against you now, this time you can't succeed.And as I start to hang my head in front of failure's face, My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.And hope fills my weakened will, as I recall that scene For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.A children's race -- young boys, young girls. How I remember so well.They all lined up so full of hope; each thought to win that race, Or tie for first, or if not that, at least tie for second place.And every parent watched, cheering for their daughters and their sons, And every kid hoped to show their mom and dad, that they would be the one.The whistle blew and off they went, young hearts and hopes afire. To win and be the hero was each kid's desire.And one boy in particular whose dad was in the crowd, Was running near the lead and thought, my dad will be so proud.But as they speeded down the field, across a shallow dip, The little boy who thought to win, lost his step and slipped.And trying hard to catch himself, his hands flew out to brace, Mid the laughter of the crowd he fell right upon his face.So down he fell and with him hope, he couldn't win it now, Embarrassed, sad, if he could only disappear somehow.But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face, Which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win the race."He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that's all, And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.So anxious to restore himself -- to catch up and to win, His mind went faster than his legs -- and he slipped and fell again.He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace, "Im hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race."But in the laughing crowd, he searched and found his father's face, That steady look which said again, "Get up and win the race."So up he jumped to try again, ten yards behind the last. "If I'm going to gain those yards," he thought, "I've got to move real fast."Exerting everything he had, he regained eight or ten, But trying so hard to catch the lead he slipped and fell again.Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye. "There's no sense running any more. Three strikes, I'm out. Why should I even try?The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away. So far behind, so error prone, a loser all the way."I've lost, so what's the use?" he thought, "I'll live with my disgrace." But then he thought about his dad whom soon he'd have to face.Get up, an echo sounded, get up and take your place. You were not meant for failure here, Get up and win the race.With borrowed will, Get up, it said, You haven't lost at all. For winning is no more than this: To rise each time you fall.So up he rose to run once more, and with a new commit, He resolved that win or lose at least he wouldn't quit.So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been. Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.Three times he'd fallen, stumbling: Three time he rose again. Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran his best to the end.They cheered the winning runner as she crossed the line in first place. Head high and proud, and happy, no falling, no disgraceBut when the fallen youngster crossed the line in last place, The crowd gave him the greatest cheer for just finishing the race.And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud, You would have thought he'd won the race to listen to the crowd.And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well." "To me, you won," his father said, "You rose each time you fell."And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face, The memory of that little boy should help us all in our race.For life is like that race with ups and down and all, And all you have to do to win, is rise each time you fall."Quit, give up, you're beaten," they will always shout in your face. But another voice within you will say, "Get up and win the race."- Author UnknownThe Trouble TreeThe carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work. His electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family.As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a tall tree, touching tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed with smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. "Oh, that's my trouble tree" he replied. "I know that I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure. Troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I get home. Then in the morning I pick them up again. "Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."- Author Unknown