Friday 19 June 2009

'It is not the critic who counts':Who said this?

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly;
who errs and comes short again and again;
because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;
but who does actually strive to do the deed;
who knows the great enthusiasm,
the great devotion,
who spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement
and who at the worst,if he fails,
at least he fails while daring greatly.
So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

7 comments:

A Contrarian's Way said...

TR!!!

Andrew Kenny said...

Well done Jeremy, I wonder who wrote it for him ,or did he write his own speeches? Do you know?

Anonymous said...

Teddy

William said...

Love the quote

Andrew Kenny said...

I like this qoute from T.R which I read foe the first time in John Alderidge's book 'Wild at heart'.

Thinking about evangelism. Some critics say they don't like the way 'so and so' does evangelism: my answer is ,I don't like the way they don't do evangelism-especially when those who do do it, do please God and not for gain. We will all have to stand before our maker and will then receive a righteous judgement on our efforts.

A Contrarian's Way said...

We are going to memorize this as a family here soon. My two oldest boys and Caroline (3) to a lesser degree are currently putting 2 Timothy to memory. After that I want to memorize "In the Arena".

To answer your question about who wrote it for him...according to his biography and his inherent brilliance, cosmopolitan nature, varied interests and DEEP faith in God, I would believe he wrote it for himself. He wrote many different books on many different things...truly one of America's greatest Presidents and maybe greatest men.

Andrew Kenny said...

Contrarian-thanks for the info about the T.R, speech. 2 Timothy is superlative in its instruction and inspiring thought and well worth while learning off by heart..I hope you all learn it as it really does cry out to be memorized and repeated and reflected upon until it becomes part of our beings.

I also love 1 and 2 Timothy in a special way because it is the great Paul's last will and testament to the reader, whoever they are through the ages c.p.'seize the day' scene in Dead Poet's Society.
It is hard not to take these letters in personal way-so I do. Will we let him down or will we hold on to that same gospel, and then pass it on.
May we indeed pass it on to many many people who will then pass it on to others.God bless you brother.