Quote Of The Day By Robert Frost: 'If You Can Bear At Your Age The Honor Of...'

Robert Frost was one of the most esteemed poets of the 20th century, but it took him years to get recognition for his work. Born in San Francisco on March 26, 1874, Frost encountered tragedy early in life. At only 11 years old, his father died from tuberculosis, and his family moved to Massachusetts. Despite this, Frost thrived in school, graduating as valedictorian alongside his classmate Elinor White, who would later become his wife. However, his attempts at making a living as a poet were met with multiple rejection letters. He managed to have one poem published in 1894, but it didn't kickstart his career. On the contrary, two decades would pass before his work was finally recognized.

Frost got plenty of inspiration for his poetry from exploring his farm in Derry, New Hampshire. The piece of land was gifted to him by his grandfather. Frost's life wasn't free from tragedy, and he never quite managed to turn it into a profitable business, despite over a decade of blood, sweat, and tears. He sold it and moved to London, England, in 1912, to try and make his poetry dreams come true across the pond. And it worked.

His first collection of poems, "A Boy's Will," was published in 1913, followed by "North of Boston" in 1914. Slowly, the Americans realized they'd had a treasure in their midst all along, and Frost's work was subsequently published in his home country as well. He and his family returned to the U.S. in 1915, and when John F. Kennedy won the presidential election in 1960, he asked Frost to deliver a speech at his inauguration. We pulled today's quote from Frost's response to the president's telegram.

"If you can bear at your age the honor of being made President of the United States, I ought to be able at my age to bear the honor of taking some part in your inauguration." This is what Robert Frost wrote in a telegram responding to former President John F. Kennedy's request for him to recite a poem at his 1961 inauguration.

With these words, Frost acknowledged former President Richard Nixon's repeated jabs at Kennedy that, at 43, he was way too young and lacked the experience to take on the momentous role as leader of the Free World. The public, of course, differed, electing Kennedy as their new president over Nixon. Frost also seemed to hint that it was high time someone like him, who represented the arts, be included in such an important ceremony.

John F. Kennedy was (and remains) the youngest person ever elected president of the United States (Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest to take office in 1901). What was also a significant moment of the time was Kennedy's decision to ask a poet to be a part of his inauguration ceremony. This was the first time one was invited to a presidential inauguration, and it appeared to signal that the incoming administration would honor the country's artists, something Frost no doubt respected. He had, after all, spent a significant amount of time campaigning for Kennedy ahead of the election.

With his quip about age and being able to bear certain honors, Frost seemed to hint that age isn't necessarily the qualifying factor when it comes to someone's suitability for a specific role. Kennedy was young, yet he was taking on the biggest responsibility imaginable — the presidency of the United States. Therefore, the 86-year-old poet could certainly represent the artistic community at the newly elected president's inauguration ceremony. It was a quip, but it could also be read as carrying a lot of weight.

Sometimes, we feel we're too young — or too old — to do anything of significance. Frost's remark reminds us that this is not the case. We can accomplish whatever we set our minds to. Kennedy was proof of that. He made the very thing his opponent wanted to use against him the driving force of his campaign, selling himself as someone who could bring vigor to the White House and inject new life into the country and its people. Age really is just a number — don't let it dampen your ambitions.

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