Rudyard Kipling’s “If” is a masterpiece and a copy of it hangs on the wall of my office and podcast studio. It speaks to becoming a man, or really a strong person. In the version below I re-wrote “If” through the lens of someone in 2020 America. You can also hear an audio version on the latest ‘People, Process, Progress’ podcast at around 03:20 here.
If we can keep our heads when some about us
Are losing theirs and lashing out,
If we can search our souls and do what’s right,
But be prepared to make change as well;
If we can listen to others and not be quick to answer,
Or with falsehoods, not fall prey to lies,
Or in seeing the hatred, not let hatred build within us,
But yet be prepared to stand for one another’s lives:
If we can make change – but not make politics the driver;
If we can partner – and not leave others out;
If we can share the goodness but not forget the horrors
And speak to these without looking away;
If we can bear to hear the truth of our nation
Built on the suffering and backs of many,
Or watch a profession many gave their lives to, questioned
But also be part of the solution to build it back up:
If we can gather the best of us from all sides
And get them together on common ground,
And stumble, and keep moving forward
And not be quick to point fingers from the loss;
If we can push forward through our emotions
To serve our children long after we are gone,
And so hold when we are low on mutual trust
But keep working and striving as a nation because, ‘We must!’
If we can join in groups but not be victims to group think
Or work with politicians – but not be pandered to,
If neither prejudice nor rage will guide us,
If our people can re-build that human trust;
If we can weather this time of pestilence and bloodlust
With family and friends and faith and hope,
Ours will be the example for the world over,
And – which is more – we’ll be America again, for all
Thank you for listening and Godspeed, Kevin
Kevin Pannell, PMP | Creator & Host, ‘People, Process, Progress’ | Connect and subscribe at https://linktr.ee/peopleprocessprogress
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