fjmas1976
08-31-08, 08:29 PM
When I was at Parris Island, my dad sent me the following paragraph. It's a little bit of wisdom that was written by Theodore Roosevelt. This has always been something that motivates me when times are tough and you're feeling the pressure. It basically states that it doesn't matter what people think or say, it only matters that you stay in the fight and never give up. As long as you hang in there, it doesn't matter if you win or you lose. In the end, the only person we have to anser to is the one you look at in the mirror everyday.
Every time I read, this I remember sitting on my footlocker on the second deck of Echo Company, 2nd BN on Parris Island and opening a letter from my Dad and reading it. Maybe some of you that will be heading to Recruit Training soon will be able to read this and apply it while you endure the toughest 13 weeks of your lives.
When my Dad died last year, I had the last sentence of the passage engraved on his grave stone. You may also recognize it from my profile signature.:usmc:
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
<CENTER>http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/fjmas1976/d1011.gif</CENTER>
Every time I read, this I remember sitting on my footlocker on the second deck of Echo Company, 2nd BN on Parris Island and opening a letter from my Dad and reading it. Maybe some of you that will be heading to Recruit Training soon will be able to read this and apply it while you endure the toughest 13 weeks of your lives.
When my Dad died last year, I had the last sentence of the passage engraved on his grave stone. You may also recognize it from my profile signature.:usmc:
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
<CENTER>http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/fjmas1976/d1011.gif</CENTER>