Tanya & Hua Loo Loo in Switzerland

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'll be on your way up!


You'll be seeing great sights!


You'll join the high fliers


who soar to high heights.

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 the 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


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 the 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 will come to a place where the streets are not marked.


Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.


A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!


Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?


How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...


or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?


Or go around back and sneak in from behind?


Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,


for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can 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, or a plane to go


or the mail to come, or the rain to go


or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow


or waiting around for a Yes or a No


or waiting for their hair to grow.


Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite


or 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 sting of pearls, or a pair of pants


or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.


Everyone is just waiting.

NO!




That's not for you!

Somehow you'll 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 a 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 they 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!

---Dr. Seuss