Oh, The Places You'll Go!

For those of you whose jobs are not entirely kid-focused, you may not be aware that the infamous Dr. Seu.ss has a birthday coming up.  In my classroom, we've been practicing reading some of our favorite Dr. Seu.ss books to share with the younger students later this week.

To launch this unit, I read one of my favorite Dr.Seu.ss books, "Oh, The Places You'll Go!"  I read it because I had a copy that I picked up for five bucks at Ko.hls a few years ago.  It's the same copy I read to Bebe #2 during a shamefully optimistic period (you know, after a reassuring ultrasound and before the rug was pulled from underneath my feet).  I remember it being sweet, and uplifting.

And then I read it aloud to a room full of fifth-graders.  And, somehow, didn't lose my shit completely.  I'm still not quite sure how I managed this feat, especially with lines like this:

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-ey 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 Slimp,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself 

is not easily done.  

Sound familiar yet?  Keep reading:

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 your 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?

If that's not a perfect description of this gamble we're all taking, then I don't know what is.  But, believe it or not, it gets even better:

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. 

Ah, we know that place all too well, don't we?  It's....

...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 the waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.   

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for the 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. 

Everyone is just waiting.  

Now, it wouldn't be Sue.ss if he didn't encourage you to pick up your feet and DO something about it.  And he does.  But then he follows a bit uncharacteristically with this gem about things going your way:

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 only play against you. 

Seriously, Se.uss?  Are you just fucking with me now? 

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.  

Somehow I manged to keep those crocodile tears contained within my chest in front of my kiddos.  They've seen me tear up at stories before, but how could I explain the emotions that cut me so deeply -- from Dr. Seu.ss, for crying out loud?!? It made me curious, though, how a man could be so adept at putting into words all the crazy emotions on this particular rollercoaster.  And so I turned to my trusty Wiki.pedia (shhh!  don't tell my students!) and learned that, despite being married twice, dear Theodore Geisel remained childless his entire life.  

Yes, you read that right.  Dr. Seus.s was an infertile.  So take heart, my friends!  I know I will.  As silly and superstitious as it sounds,  I will be thinking of Seu.ss and his words as I make my six-hour trek to see Dr. Down-to-Earth on (coincidentally? ) what would have been Teddy's 108th birthday.  Not the downers that he describes, above, of course, but the more heartwarming words with which he ends this story:

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.)

Though my odds may be slightly less optimistic, I will take what I can get.  And I'll try to keep my eyes on the bigger picture, and the wisdom of a children's book author who walked this path long before I did.  

Happy birthday, Teddy.  And thank you.