The ‘Want’ List Goes On

There was this poem I read when I was in school. I do not remember which grade was it in, but it was during the primary school, is all I remember. I do not even remember the name of the author. The only thing that I remember about this poem is that we were asked to write a summary of this poem. I just don’t remember what exactly I understood about this poem back then that my school principal had marked it as “Good” below the summary that I had written.

The fact is I laugh at this poem even today when I remember that I’ve only known the meaning of the poem later after having gone(still going) through roller coaster ride of life.. But what did the child in me understand back then that I was appreciated for 😉

The poem goes like this:

I never got what I wanted
I always got what I did not want
What I want I don’t get
What I get I don’t want
To get what I want
I should not want what I want
What I want I don’t get
What I get I don’t want

Has anybody come across this poem in their school days? If yes, please do share the name of the author if you remember.

Although the lines sound funny, that is exactly what each one of us have gone through or going through now. How well do we accommodate to each of these situations will help us become more accepting towards uncertainty of life and experience life with less friction internally and externally.

Well, that’s not it… This is just the first half of the poem. I do not remember the second half;)

Now I would like to add my own lines to the second half and here it goes:

If you really want to get what you want
Want it with all your heart
let your want know you really want what you want.
If you truly remain focused about what you want,
you would want to work for what you want.
If you find yourself getting what you don’t want,
just know that you did not work enough for what you want.
Whatever you get, whether you want it or don’t want it,
always be thankful that you have it, 
because somewhere somebody is praying for what you did not want 🙂

However there is always a part of us that can never get enough of “what you want”.

….and so, “what do you want?”