I hadnt posted anything on Ilog for some time, and just thought of verses from Kipling’s "If" that I thought of now adding. And guess what: On opening my Ilog I see that i had already posted one of the verses from the same poem back in October 3 (4 months ago). I read the poem 4 decades ago in school - and remembered these lines when I actually needed them to help decide what to do next during critical times in my career.

Three verses in particular from this poem that I actually used to help set my course during critical stages of my life were:

1. If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;

2. Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

3. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch.

Also, at one time found lines from King Lear very handy ("Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind, as man’s ingratitude"). That line is great when you are feeling sorry for yourself, but even better are: "No good deed goes unpunished". Or even better: "Naikee kar, bhaar maiN daal".