Wednesday Words: 27 February 2013

Sometimes, life seems to be a lot of uphill going.  A few of us in the blogging community are finding this at the moment, none more so – and more unfairly so – than our kind host of this meme, Emma at Crazy with Twins. <–(Yes, read that.)

The great explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874 – 1922) had high regard for Kipling, the poet. He had three verses of the famous poem ‘If’ engraved below the bridge of his ship, the Quest – the last vessel he sailed in. At the start of the voyage he addressed his men:

“You see those lines which I have engraved below the bridge? Those verses are for the young men, but they will do for the old ones, too. There may come a time when the seas break over us and we shall wipe the salt water out of our eyes to read them. That is why I put them there.”

(As reported by The Chicago Tribune, 18 September 1921)

We are each of us explorers – through the blogging scene, and through life generally. We have a duty to inspire one another.

Crazy
Edit – 30 July 2015:
Tonight, I’m digging out this post and linking it to the prompt ‘To  read’ from Sara at mumturnedmom. Note the context, picked out in bold above.
mumturnedmom
It's kind to share!
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5 thoughts on “Wednesday Words: 27 February 2013”

  1. And inspire us you do! Yet again, fantastic words from Firefly Phil! I had to go and re-read Kipling’s IF after reading this. Such a brilliant and uplifting poem. Your quote make me think I should read more history. Any books you’d recommend to me that I might like?

    Thankyou not just for linking up such a great quote, but for your continual support for me and my family lately. It is people like you who put the community into blogging. xx

  2. I love Kipling’s ‘If’ and read it to my son when he was a tiny. Whilst I’d known it for a long time, for the first time, I think I really began to understand what Kipling meant. Thankyou for this.

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