Lessons from "If—": A Personal Reflection on Rudyard Kipling's Timeless Wisdom

Exploring life's challenges with Kipling's 'If—', Quranic wisdom, and Biblical insights. A journey of resilience, guided by timeless verses.

I’ve got something on my mind, and it’s been a constant companion—Kipling's "If—". Every time I read it, I'm struck by its wisdom, and how it's like having an old friend remind you of life's truths over a cup of coffee. Simple, profound, and no frills.

Now, let me weave in another layer. You know how sometimes different books seem to echo the same truths? That’s how I felt when I thought of this verse from the Quran: "So verily, with every difficulty, there is relief" (Quran 94:6). Life isn’t always easy, but there's always a way out, always a silver lining. It's like the universe has this universal code and different wise souls have tapped into it across ages and cultures.

Oh, and speaking of age-old wisdom, there's this verse from the Bible that's been like a guiding star for me, a friend who is well-read in scripture gave this verse as a gift to me, for times when I feel lost, I pray God rewards him with abundance for indeed it was a great gift: "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31). Doesn't that just resonate with Kipling's idea of keeping your head high and pushing through?

Between revealed knowledge from The Quran and The Bible, and acquired knowledge from Kipling, I feel armed with a roadmap for life. It’s not about avoiding challenges but embracing them with grace, patience, and a ton of resilience. And here's the thing: In this age where everything is in hyper-speed, these words, old as they may be, still hit home. They’re my compass.

So, if you’re ever feeling lost, remember you're not alone. We’ve got Kipling, we've got age-old scriptures, and hey, you've got me sharing this journey with you. Let's navigate this together, one step, one verse, one day at a time.

If by Rudyard Kipling:

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!