Whitespace continually strives to increase self-awareness and offers this excerpt from the 1934 Poem called, The Guy in the Glass.
The Guy In The Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.
For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear up to the end,
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass.
~Dale Wimbrow 1895-1954
The background to this poem is that a young American musician named, Dale Wimbrow wrote The Guy in the Glass in 1934 and it continues to be used as a source of inspiration for a variety of athletic coaches, including NFL Hall of Fame Super Bowl winning Coach, Bill Purcell, who frequently quoted the last paragraph to his players.
Whitespace methodology allows one to increase your self-awareness, articulate your gratitude and enjoy the view in the mirror. This poem is often mistakenly attributed to Author Unknown but has been verified and authenticated by a variety of International Academics. The first line of the poem says…in your struggle for pelf, which is often erroneously translated as ‘self’ but in fact means “wealth.” The poem mentions, (Little) Jack Horner, from the 16th Century English nursery rhyme which says, “he stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plumb.”
While some of the writing may seem dated, all of us must look in the (mirror) and understand our reflection.
