If
Did you know that Rudyard Kipling used the word ‘grinch’ over sixty years before Dr Suess? He also introduced us to the word ‘cushy’ to mean a relaxed and comfortable situation. If those are both news to you then you probably at least know that Kipling is famous for writing The Jungle Book and the poem If.
Often voted the nation’s favourite poem, If was written by Kipling to his son in 1895 and is essentially a piece of fatherly advice about how to develop and mature into a young man of honour and integrity. He stresses, among other things, the importance of staying calm in a crisis and perseverance when the going gets tough.
To me, the best piece of advice comes in the lines, “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.” In our lives we will all triumph, whether it be with full marks in a spelling test, making new friends, or beating our rivals in a match. But we will also all face disaster too, perhaps by injuring ourselves, falling out with someone, or even losing a derby game or two!
Triumph and disaster can sometimes turn us into people that we are not. When we are triumphant we can become overconfident; when we see disaster we can blame ourselves and spend too much time thinking about our failures. We must be careful not to do this so that we can ‘keep our heads when all about us are losing theirs’.
It is easy to be influenced by the current situation and see it as a disaster for all the things lost. But there are things to be gained too and triumphs to be enjoyed. The key is to turn frustration into opportunity and focus on what can be done, not what can’t. That way, no-one will be left saying, “What if…”
One group who will be feeling triumphant this evening is Year 8 who, today, have finished their Common Entrance and Scholarship exams. Swatting aside the disruption and adapting to the unusual circumstances, they have embraced their learning this term and applied themselves admirably. Tensions will have been fraught at times over the last eight weeks but the pupils should feel proud of their endeavours and I hope this weekend offers the chance for relief and relaxation.