If

It's a big word.

Was reminded of part of my past today.  In my child days neighborhood.  We had dinner with my daughter's roommate's family.  I talked about growing up round there and some of my experiences as a Lutheran student minister.

If I had zigged when zagged comes to mind.  But I had a fulfilling time serving others as a student minister.  No regrets as they say.  I've mentioned some of the circumstances re that time.  I'll tackle it again later.  But my time was well spent and I'm glad I could help in this storm of life.

There continue to be, even as I write, of memories from my childhood.  Good things pour forth.  The bad are there but they didn't predominate.  The good is stronger.  Light overcomes dark.  Yes we get through valleys to shine at the mountaintop.

Most importantly, we talked to our deployed son.  What a joy and love and good memories came forth.  It is also his birthday.  He is indeed a man, not just chronologically, but internally.

When I was a kid we had a maiden Great Aunt who treated us like her own kids.  She visited and spent birthdays and holidays with us.

Every year she would send heartfelt cards.  For my 21st, she sent me a card proclaiming me as a man.  Still had a lot to learn though lol.  It included the poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling.

I'm leaving this post with those words.  Thanks to all of you who care about Freedom 

If

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!