I have always loved this poem. It lifts me up. It tells me that it doesn't matter what everyone else says....I can do it.
There are always people out there saying what we can't do. Often times those people live inside our heads. It's easier to find reasons not to do something than to find the strength and courage to do them.
Maybe it's fear that stops us. The fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of disappointment. But if you never try then you will never know, you have failed, and you will definitely be disappointed.
Where would we be today if Galileo had believed that the Earth CAN'T revolve around the Sun? If the Wright brothers believed that man COULDN'T fly. If countless scientists thought that since men NEVER HAVE walked on the moon it was not worth trying. Who knows what wonderful things are going to come simply because someone doesn't know it's IMPOSSIBLE.
Anyone who tells you 'you can't' has probably never tried. Don't let their fears become yours.
"Be open to any possibility, and be maturally prepared for them" It's why I love this poem(quote). It can be explained in two opposite ways, as well. The narrator tells the audience that listen to Don'ts, Shouldn'ts, and so on. We have to note that he used the word 'listen'. This command may be soon contradicted as he says "Anything can happen", however, he also say do not ignore what they say, but listen to them. Why? Because anything can happen. This poem is like an open conclusion novel. The poet tells us to listen what the experienced ones say. Do not totally ignore them, yet, notice that anything can happen in life as a result of not listening what they said, or despite what they said.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input. I agree, it isn't always a positive 'anything can happen'. Totally disregarding the experiences of those who came before is folly, but taking their outcomes as the written in stone is folly as well. We are the sum of everyone who came before but our total is up to us. Shel Silverstein is proof of it himself. He would have been just another nameless face in the crowd had he not acted on the possibilities. You are correct, it is up to the reader to take from it what they will.
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