"If for girls"

If you can trust yourself though others doubt you

And conquer fears that limit what you dare

So you can freely give to those about you

The skills and talents that are yours to share;

If you can live, not for your pleasure only,

But gladly lend your gentleness and grace

To warm the hearts of those whose lives are lonely

And help to make their world a better place; 

If you can balance dreams with practicality

And deal in facts, but never lose ideals,

If you can face the harshness of of reality

And find the truths that prejudice conceals;

If you can be courageous when defeated

And humble in the face of victory,

Or give your best until a task's completed

However difficult that task may be;

If you can temper facts with understanding

And seek to gently guide, not to control,

And neither be to lax nor too demanding

But keep in mind the worth of every soul...

If you can strive, not caring who gets credit,

And work at building bridges, and not walls,

Or hearing idle slander, just forget it

And never fail to help someone who falls;

If you can give your help without begrudging

The patience, time and effort you impart,

Or look at others' weakness without judging

And see, not with your eyes, but with your heart;

If you can take resources that surround you

And use them in the way you feel you should,

You'll be a woman...and all those around you

Will be the richer for your womanhood!

-Gale Baker Stanton