Fwd: A Father's Prayer
Bob Lemley (LEMLEY@ACM.ORG)
Mon, 30 Jun 1997 09:22:59 -0500
I received this from my brother, but thought the group might enjoy
reading it since we're all in the business of building men.
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Bob Lemley
Manager, Campus Systems
Diebold, Inc.
(254)776-5695
http://pascal.acm.org/~lemley/
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A FATHER'S PRAYER
Build me a son Oh Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud
and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a
son who will know Thee - and that to know himself is the foundation of
knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the
stress
and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here, let him learn compassion for
those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son
who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will
learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep, one who will reach into the
future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of
humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too
seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the
simplicity
of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true
strength.
Then, I his father, will dare to whisper: "I have not lived in vain."
-- General Douglas MacArthur
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