Don't Quit.....But What?

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Author Unknown

I have read this poem innumerable times, learnt it by heart and tried to grasp what it says as much as my mind would permit me to, and every time a message has been conveyed to me. This time it's different...

We often ask children, 'What will you become later in life when you grow up?' And most of the time they answer it regarding whatever career that interests them.

To desire for something and to get the other thing is the way of life. When your heart, soul, mind and body all are working in one direction, then a worthy goal is achieved.
The role of a parent to help child in his quest for achievement depends on parents' own experiences in previous life. Something which fascinates from a distance may not be as charming when it comes to handling it.
A person who has longed to become a doctor may not stand the sight of blood or a dead body. An administrative officer who had always dreamt of having power to change the world for better may feel helpless at the hands of politicians. A teacher may feel disheartened with his unrewarding pupils.
The list is endless, but it is evident that they were inadequately prepared to deal with the circumstances. They knew how to get there but to sustain posed difficulties. And in this process of getting accustomed with the system they made compromises. The purity of spirit was replaced by lust. To remain ahead became the sole aim.
When one is exposed to more and more materialism, energy is diverted towards possessing endless things. In such environment our children know only to boast of their lavish lifestyles and latest commodities they possess. Everything in the market when easily available and affordable, person loses interest in striving for a reasonable goal.
Our children have come a long way. They are more aware of the world around them, thanks to the internet which just provides the answers by typing a few key words on the search engine. Most of them shy away from meeting people and involve in social activities. They face different problems with both parents working. Their schedules are ever busy right from getting up in the morning till they sleep at night. Apart from academics they're expected to join various hobby classes like music and dance, calligraphy, sports, personality development etc, etc. The emotional bonding which joint families still enjoy act as a cushion for various stresses in the minds of the little ones helping them in the long run.
'Survival of the fittest' holds true in every age and time, but in quest of survival let not our morals and values be lost. Let it not be the price to be paid for our materialistic progress.
Best of Hard Work!