Oh the Places You Will Go

Connor has put the book, "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss into rotation at bed time for the last month. I've grown up with this book and always knew about it but as an adult it has really spoke to me. It also spoke to Kevin as well. His first time ever reading the book was as an adult and he loved it so much he read it to Connor twice before bed.

We love that Dr. Seuss gives you credit for all that you will accomplish in life and how smart you are BUT that there are indeed snags in life that will jump up and get you. BUT you are smart enough to make it through the snags and you will succeed!

Here are some thoughts on different parts of the book.

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go."

I love this because we do have brains in our head and feet in our shoes. Most people have street smarts, common sense or book smarts. If we're lucky we get two of the three. Once we're on our own we are the ones who make the decisions and decided what we want to do. Unfortunately, a lot of times we make our decisions based on what other people want.

"You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch."

We go through life flying high and moving ahead fast. Then BAM! Something or someone throws a wrench in the whole plan. We get stuck, hung up and most times everyone that was moving just as fast as you has left you behind because they're on their mission to keep moving. As my mother always told me, "Man plans and God laughs".

"You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?"

Its tough when we've been left behind. Everyone has moved forward and left you in the dust. You're stuck trying to figure out your next move. Questions and more questions are circling through our heads. The "what ifs" start to eat away and make us unable to make clear decisions about what is going on in our present.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

The scariest word around, "ALONE". Many of us do not like being alone. We can't go to the movies, dinner, a play, the park, or to bed alone. When you're alone you are left with your thoughts. Your thoughts are about what you want and who your truth is. Some of us have a hard time seeing the truth and its so scary we keep others around us so we don't have to deal with those emotions.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Some how everything turns out ok. No matter how alone, lost or scared we get... we make it. Life does turn out ok, and yes, life is good. There really is no way for anyone to not succeed in life. Its our own opinions in life that decide if we've succeeded. Think positive, be love, smile and you will succeed.