Robert Lee Frost was born in San Francisco, California, and he was the son of William Prescott Frost, Jr., of New Hampshire and Isabelle Moodie of Scotland. When Frost was 11 years old, his father died of tuberculosis.
Frost Suffered Losses
The Frost family then moved to Massachusetts where William Frost was to be buried. Frost attended high school in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and began writing poetry. He attended Dartmouth College briefly, but withdrew during his first year and went to work. In 1895, he married Elinor White. The couple eventually had six children, two of whom died young. From 1897 to 1899 Frost attended Harvard College, but he left before receiving a degree. In the early 1900s, the family owned a small poultry farm in New Hampshire, and Frost taught at a small private school nearby.
Frost Continued Determination
Frost continued to write poetry, but he was unsuccessful at publishing his work. He wasn’t discouraged, but he sought better literary opportunities. Frosts sold their farm and moved to England in 1912. In England, Frost achieved his first literary success. His book of poems, A Boy’s Will (1913), was printed by the first English publisher that Frost approached. The work established Frost as an author and was representative of his lifelong poetic style. His second collection, North of Boston, was published in 1914 and also won prizes.
In 1915, Frost and his family returned to the United States, where his poetry had become popular. In 1961, at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, Frost became the first poet to read a poem—’The Gift Outright”—at a presidential inauguration.
Robert Frost went through life’s challenges. He suffered the losses of his children, he suffered set back in achieving his goals. At different times in his life, he suffered rejections.
Be a Bull Dog, Don’t Let Go
Winston Churchill said, ‘‘The nose of the bulldog is slanted backwards so it can continue to breathe without letting go.’’ How profound! It is not what you are now without hurdles or challenges that defines your personality, but what you are when the storm is raging is what defines who you are.
You will Succeed
Just like Robert who endured pain, rejections and suffered losses, but was still celebrated and his goals were eventually achieved, you will succeed against all odds if you choose to persevere and not give up.
