The Man In The Arena

Anyone that knows me knows I love poetry, and reading, and just words in general. 

And every so often I find a quote or excerpt that absolutely speaks to me.

I was working on some items for my Etsy shop (so excited to share that with you all once I get it up and running!) when I came across this except from Teddy Roosevelt's speech "Citizenship In A Republic" that he delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and that you keep it in mind when the situation calls. I personally think it'll find a place on my wall.

"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, 

who comes short again and again, 

because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; 

but who does actually strive to do the deeds; 

who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; 

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 fails while daring greatly, 

so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."