Life According to Seuss

All I really need to know I learned from Dr. Seuss.

With apologies to Robert Fulghum, Dr. Seuss has more life-long lessons than kindergarten. Here are some of my favorites:

The best way to learn and expand your horizons is to try new things.

I do not like green eggs and ham!
I do not like them, Sam I am.
You do not like them. So you say.
Try them! Try them! And you may.
Try them and you may, I say
— Green Eggs and Ham

Sometimes there are no rules to tell you how to get things done.

“All I need is a reindeer. …”
The Grinch looked around.
But, since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.
Did that stop the old Grinch?
No! The Grinch simply said,
“If I can’t find a reindeer, I’ll make one instead!”
So he called his dog, Max. Then he took some red thread,
And he tied a big horn on the top of his head.
— How the Grinch Stole Christmas

If you can’t do things, at least read about them.

The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you’ll go.
— I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!

Think about what you’re going to say before you say it.

My father had warned me, “Don’t babble. Don’t bray.
For you never can tell who might hear what you say.”
My father had warned me, “Button your lip.”
And I guess that I should have. But I made a bad slip.
— Steak for Supper

When you do speak, you should tell the truth.

Stop telling such outlandish tales.
Stop turning minnows into whales.
— And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street

No matter how bad things seem, they are probably worse for someone else.

When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad …
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky!
Some people are much more …
oh, ever so much more …
oh muchly much-much more unlucky than you.
— Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

And, most importantly, you can do anything you put your mind to.

Be true to yourself
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 [person] who’ll decide where to go.
— Oh, the Places You’ll Go

All of this is fantastic advice. And life according to Dr. Seuss.