Oh The Places 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 there in 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 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 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 so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in 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 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 get so confused that you'll start in to race down 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 go, or a bus to come.....
waiting for wind to fly a kite, or waiting around for Friday night, or waiting perhaps for their uncle Jake, or a pot to boil, or a better break....
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants, or a wig with curls or another chance....

No!
That's not for you!
You'll somehow escape all 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 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 you 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 many a 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 up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and 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 Bray or 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!

My Mom gave me this Dr. Seuss classic 10 years ago as I was preparing to leave home.
I never could've imagined how much the words would actually resonant with my life.

In the front of the book, she inscribed beautiful words of motherly wisdom. As the day to move inched closer and closer, I was searching frantically for my book, so I could re-read those words and find solace in them.

I couldn't find it anywhere, and was so worried I had lost it. Upon arrival to our temporary home here in Kamas, I found the book. I quickly opened it and read her advice. Those words, too, are perfect for me now, even 10 years later.

As sad as I was to say good bye to my friends, work, and life I had built, I am so happy with decision to move and with the new opportunities that will surely come.

I have felt amazingly at peace each and every day, and opportunities seem to be falling into place.
My mountains are waiting.....