I've discovered this text while watching "Dans la peau de Jacques Chirac", Karl Zéro's movie. I find it especially beautiful, because it describes precisely what is called in some other circles "the middle way", which is the path to follow avoiding the extrems. Being brave and never imprudent, strong without ceasing being tender, losing everything and starting everything all over again, without a sigh (a lesson thai victims of the tsunami on 26.12.2004 also taught us. They lost everything, members of their family, their belongings, everything they knew, owned and cherished, but went on with their lives rather quickly, much quicker that we ever would have in Western countries. When I think some people cry when they break a nail...), all of these we'll make a Man of a Son (or a Woman of a Daughter, i'm not misogynist, quite the contrary, i love women ;-) ). Not only does this way enables one to grow, but this text also tells us that we have the power to enslave Kings, Gods, Chance and Victory. We do have the strength in our hands, minds and heart to overcome obstacles, nothing is predetermined. We possess the free will to act, no god, no luck, no fate pre-establishing the road we'll follow in the course of our life.

In this text lies an incredible life lesson. Our life belongs to us, let's have the courage to lead it, but let's also be humble to not give up ourselves to the strength and power this control over our life gives us, which, if so, would lead us to our ruin anyway.

You will be a man, my son

If you can see destroyed the work of your life
And, without saying only one word to give you has to batir
Or to lose of only one blow the profit of one hundred parts
Without a gesture and a sigh.

If you can be lover without being insane of love,
If you can be strong without ceasing being tender,
and, feeling you hai, without hair in your turn,
However to fight and defend you.

If you can support to hear your words
Disguised by the gueux ones to excite the stupid ones,
And to intend to lie on you their insane mouths
Without lying yourself of a word.

If you can remain worthy while being popular,
If you can remain people by advising the kings
And if you can love all your friends as brothers
Without none them being very for you.

If you can meditate, observe and know,
Without never becoming skeptic or destroying,
To dream, without letting your dream be your maitre
To think, without being only one thinker.

If you can be hard without never being in rage,
If you can be brave and never imprudent,
If you can be good, if you can be wise,
Without to be moral nor pedant.

If you can meet triumph after defeat
And to receive these two liars of a same face.
If you can preserve your courage and your head,
When all the others lose it.

Then, kings, gods, the chance and victory
Will be forever your subjected slaves,
And, which is better than the kings and glory,
You will be a man, my son.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Fushichô

November 3, 2007