Firstly, be kind, the world is full of needless hurt from those that have not stopped to think,
And true enough, in life, you’ll hurt others, but try to not make that your goal,
For spite is a bitter pill and vengeance is a bitter drink,
And the bitterness of both these things will poison your soul,
Next, be patient, all thing will come to pass in their own good time,
And constantly wishing for better tomorrows, will only rob you of today,
And whilst learning from yesterdays triumphs and mistakes is fine,
Remember, it’s only right here and right now, that you get to choose your way,
Thirdly, be humble, there is a quiet peace in humility,
A sense of comfort and competence that cannot be overstated,
Let the brash be boastful, for that is their proclivity,
And know one day their arrogance will leave them humiliated,
Fourth, be understanding, and not too quick to judge,
Lest you should be prepared to be judged in your turn,
All it takes to change a life is for fate to give a little, “Nudge,”
And all it takes to save one is for lessons to be learned,
Fifthly, be honest, or at least try not to lie,
For the sake of those around and your own mental health,
Deceit is a, “Silken web,” strewn with many, “Naive flies,”
So tangled in its threads they end up lying to themselves,
Sixth, be intelligent, use your common sense,
We have it for a reason, and that’s to keep us alive,
And whilst ignorance is understandable, stupidity is no defence,
And in a world full of, “Stupid,” only, “Smart,” will survive.
Seventh, be philosophical, study others thoughts,
Read the words of the wise and ponder on this life,
But draw your own conclusions, no matter what you’re taught,
This is your road, your way, your joys, and your strife,
Eighth, be joyful where you can, I can’t stress this enough,
If life were a crown, joy would be its jewels,
If you’re lucky this road will be long, but it’s likely to be tough,
And those that don’t make time for joy along the way are fools,
Ninth, have courage, for fear lies at every turn,
Yet every turn must be walked, have no doubt of that,
And in every fearful step taken, you’ll learn,
The meaning of the words, “Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat,”
Tenth, be just, justice is a concept to hold most dear,
It’s the difference between vengeance and doing what is right,
And if you do not keep that difference most clear,
Then revenge will lead your soul into the, “Long dark night,”
Eleventh, Acceptance, the hardest one of all,
Of all of the lessons this life will throw your way,
Acceptance that in the end, we all stumble and finally fall,
Is the only thing that will bring true peace to each waking day,
Memento Mori, remember you will die,
Memento Vivere, remember to really live, on this journey to the grave,
Amor Fati, love, accept and stare your fate squarely in the eye,
Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat, for Fortune Favours The Brave.