Words to Live By (Dr. Seuss)

•I meant what I said and I said what I meant.

•Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.

•You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.

•Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

•Just tell yourself, Duckie, you're really quite lucky!

•I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.

•Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try.

•Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

•A person's a person, no matter how small.

•Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

•The storm starts, when the drops start dropping, When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.

 
 
So I have been on quite the Dr. Seuss kick lately. I went to the bookstore for hours the other day and read a lot of his children's books. It is brilliantly amazing at the audience he appeals to, for it is not just kids. I really think that Seuss had the intention of teaching both the child and adult life lessons while writing his interesting books. He knew parents would read them to their kids. For kids, the rhyme, pictures, and imagination is just fun, and for adults it takes us back to the "simple" life lessons. They are so simple and basic we forget them.

It reminds me of the words that Jesus spoke about having faith like a child to receive Him, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:13-16) I love being reminded that it is God's children who enter into His kingdom, humble and innocent. In my opinion, the older we get the more powerful the faith of a child becomes because a kid doesn't always ask why or how, they just believe and obey (most of the time). There is a simplicity to life, love, and Jesus. Of course the older you get, the more 'exceptions' we see to every rule, but we often forget where we first begun. "Treat others the way you want to be treated". "Share." "Don't be rude." "Don't hit." "Don't steal." "Say thank you", etc.
Dr. Seuss seems to never forget that life can be simple, we just have to be reminded of it.

Below is the full text to his most popular book, "Oh! The Places You Will Go!" I have never been so moved after reading it until the other day. Life has gotten beyond hard and complex for me to handle, but then it became simple again after reading Dr. Seuss. "Go!" "Dream!" "Forgive" "You Matter" "Just Try!" "Have Fun!" are extremely common themes in all his books. Sometimes I need reminders. Somtimes life can be simple. Somtimes the answer is easy.

And so say's Dr. Seuss...

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any

you'll want to go down.

In that case, of course,

you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't
Because, sometimes they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!