The Penguin Press

Scroll to Info & Navigation

An excerpt from a letter by F. Scott Fitzgerald to his 11-year-old daughter Scottie, while she was away at camp, 1933:
Things to worry about:
Worry about courageWorry about CleanlinessWorry about efficiencyWorry about horsemanshipWorry about…
Things not to worry about:
Don’t worry about popular opinionDon’t worry about dollsDon’t worry about the pastDon’t worry about the futureDon’t worry about growing upDon’t worry about anybody getting ahead of youDon’t worry about triumphDon’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own faultDon’t worry about mosquitoesDon’t worry about fliesDon’t worry about insects in generalDon’t worry about parentsDon’t worry about boysDon’t worry about disappointmentsDon’t worry about pleasuresDon’t worry about satisfactions
Things to think about:
What am I really aiming at?How good am I really in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:
(a) Scholarship(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?

An excerpt from a letter by F. Scott Fitzgerald to his 11-year-old daughter Scottie, while she was away at camp, 1933:

Things to worry about:

Worry about courage
Worry about Cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship
Worry about…

Things not to worry about:

Don’t worry about popular opinion
Don’t worry about dolls
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about growing up
Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you
Don’t worry about triumph
Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault
Don’t worry about mosquitoes
Don’t worry about flies
Don’t worry about insects in general
Don’t worry about parents
Don’t worry about boys
Don’t worry about disappointments
Don’t worry about pleasures
Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about:

What am I really aiming at?
How good am I really in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:

(a) Scholarship
(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?
(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?

Notes

  1. minnovative reblogged this from gtfoandrew
  2. angelinawei reblogged this from gtfoandrew
  3. ettusalad reblogged this from gtfoandrew
  4. gtfoandrew reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  5. everykneeshallbend reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  6. bochiboche reblogged this from squigglyknots
  7. hai-zo-nut reblogged this from mabelchiltern
  8. wholiofantana reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  9. thatgirlnikkib reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  10. squigglyknots reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  11. sammykammy reblogged this from sullyvan217 and added:
    I am CONSTANTLY worrying about my horsemanship.
  12. sullyvan217 reblogged this from cheeruppirate
  13. cheeruppirate reblogged this from nickandgatsby
  14. nickandgatsby reblogged this from andinshort-iwasafraid
  15. thehipstnerd reblogged this from andinshort-iwasafraid
  16. andinshort-iwasafraid reblogged this from evilhag
  17. hayroad reblogged this from oldvoiceholdingmeback
  18. oldvoiceholdingmeback reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  19. ronmoderatelystoppable reblogged this from evilhag
  20. mikeyfdez reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  21. davyprincesses reblogged this from mabelchiltern
  22. risesinthewest reblogged this from evilhag
  23. hippohippohungry reblogged this from evilhag
  24. oversimplifiedbooty reblogged this from mabelchiltern
  25. plazably reblogged this from evilhag
  26. thelightsbedamned reblogged this from mabelchiltern
  27. slightchangeofplans reblogged this from evilhag
  28. evilhag reblogged this from mabelchiltern
  29. mabelchiltern reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  30. saturdaydarling reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  31. companyxwhiner reblogged this from thepenguinpress
  32. fucking-highway-to-hell reblogged this from thepenguinpress