Hello
everyone –
TODAY,
November 8th, marks the 24th birthday of the RHC
Fortnightly Quotemail emailing list! J
The list now known as RHC Quotemail began during my graduate school days in
the German Department at the University of Illinois. Its original name was REEL – Rob’s
Eclectic Edutainment List. It was primarily aimed at friends and colleagues in
the German Department, but it began to expand slowly but surely as my worksites
changed over the years. When I moved to the Graduate College Information Office
in 1997, this list became the “Quote of the Week,” and when I moved to the ACES
James Scholar Honors Program in 2000, it was simply called “Quotemail.” Today,
this list can boast over 150 members who receive snippets of poetry and prose,
mixed in with some inspiration and humor, every other Friday.
In
honor of this auspicious occasion, here are three of my favorite “philosophy of
life” poems, which I would like to dedicate to my cousin, A.N.A., on the
occasion of her own 24th birthday, which is also TODAY! J
“A
Psalm of Life”
(What
the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist)
By
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Tell
me not, in mournful numbers,
Life
is but an empty dream ! —
For
the soul is dead that slumbers,
And
things are not what they seem.
Life
is real ! Life is earnest!
And
the grave is not its goal ;
Dust
thou art, to dust returnest,
Was
not spoken of the soul.
Not
enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is
our destined end or way ;
But
to act, that each to-morrow
Find
us farther than to-day.
Art
is long, and Time is fleeting,
And
our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still,
like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral
marches to the grave.
In
the world's broad field of battle,
In
the bivouac of Life,
Be
not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be
a hero in the strife !
Trust
no Future, however pleasant !
Let
the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,—
act in the living Present !
Heart
within, and God overhead !
Lives
of great men all remind us
We
can make our lives sublime,
And,
departing, leave behind us
Footprints
on the sands of time ;
Footprints,
that perhaps another,
Sailing
o'er life's solemn main,
A
forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing,
shall take heart again.
Let
us, then, be up and doing,
With
a heart for any fate ;
Still
achieving, still pursuing,
Learn
to labor and to wait.
“The Higher Life” (1913)
By
Madeline S. Brigham
There
are royal hearts, there are spirits brave,
There
are souls that are pure and true;
Then
give to the world the best you have,
And
the best will come to you.
Give
love, and love to your life will flow,
And
strength in your utmost needs;
Have
faith, and a score of hearts will show
Their
faith in your work and deeds.
Give
truth, and your gift will be paid in kind,
And
a song a song will meet;
And
the smile which is sweet will surely find
A
smile that is just as sweet.
Give
pity and sorrow to those that mourn,
You
will gather in flowers again
The
scattered seeds from your thoughts outborne,
Though
the sowing seemed in vain.
For
life is the mirror of king and knave,
‘Tis
just what we are and do;
Then
give to the world the best you have,
And
the best will come back to you.
“The
Heritage”
By
Abbie Farwell Brown (1871-1927)
No
matter what my birth may be,
No
matter where my lot is cast,
I
am the heir in equity
Of
all the precious Past.
The
art, the science, and the lore
Of
all the ages long since dust,
The
wisdom of the world in store,
Are
mine, all mine in trust.
The
beauty of the living Earth,
The
power of the golden Sun,
The
Present, whatsoe’er my birth,
I
share with everyone.
As
much as any man am I
The
owner of the working day;
Mine
are the minutes as they fly
To
save or throw away.
And
mine the Future to bequeath
Unto
the generations new;
I
help to shape it with my breath,
Mine
as I think or do.
Present
and Past my heritage,
The
Future laid in my control; —
No
matter what my name or age,
I
am a Master-soul!
Happy
24th Birthday to Quotemail and to my amazing cousin, A.N.A.! J
Rob
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