Don't Quit

It feels like I've had my share of tough times in the past few years, but I've also experienced blessing after blessing.  After my Grandmother passed away last month my mom and I were at the house cleaning out some of the drawers.  I found this poem on a card in a drawer that belonged to my Grandpa.  I wondered how many times he had read it himself, and what kinds of struggles he had been going through at the time.  I'm sure it was probably much more than I will ever have to experience, nor would I want to.  That's the thing about trials, they say that if we were to put all of our problems and trials into one big pile, most of us would be content to just take our own and be on our way.  I am sure when I look back on my life, I wouldn't want things changed any other way.  This poem helps me to feel hopeful when I just can't see the big picture.

Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.  


Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.


Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.


Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

-Author unknown