Oh the Places You Will Go is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. I think it reminds us that life can be extremely tough at times, but we will be just fine if we keep on the road and face up to each challenge as it presents itself. It's about challenges and change. It describes up times and down times, waiting times and stressful times.
This book was read to us at my college graduation. It still pertains to my life today.
Here are words from Oh the Place's You'll Go!
Congratulations!
Today is your day. You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away! 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. You'll look up and down streets.
Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener therein the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too.
OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
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 the 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 sobut, sadly, it's true and Hang-up scan happen to you.
You can get all hung upin a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
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 you 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? And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...or right-and-three-quarters?
Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you'll start in to racedown long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place......for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to goor a bus to come, or a plane to goor the mail to come, or the rain to goor the phone to ring, or the snow to snowor waiting around for a Yes or a Noor waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kiteor waiting around for Friday nightor waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jakeor a pot to boil, or a Better Breakor a sting of pearls, or a pair of pantsor a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting. NO!That's not for you! Somehow you'll escapeall that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go!
There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't. Because, sometimes, they won't. 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.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl
On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl Onward up manya frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed upwith many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tactand remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Brayor Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
