If Knowledge, Power and Love were one

My first and probably only poem, this is my personal values and goals, no embellishment. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's 'If'.

If you can love to learn, learn to live and at the same time, live to love,

So that every piece of wisdom is a treasure to your soul,

So that as life goes on never do you feel like you don’t know,

So that only when true love has been found can you call your life complete.

If you can lust for the power of evil and at the same time, long for the love of good,

Because knowledge is power and power delivers the most beautiful love,

If you can see that there is no good and evil, only power,

And not those too weak to seek it, but those strong enough to defy it.

If you can be ruthless, and at the same time have mercy for those who do not harm you,

So that you cannot be held back from your ambition by the shortcomings of humanity,

So that none will hate you, few will love you and all will respect you,

So that justice and honesty will always dictate the actions that you take.

If you can smile away the tears of those you love, and at the same time withhold your own,

Because if everyone else is happy, then surely that is enough for you,

If you can live, and love, and learn, fuse power and mercy, merge knowledge and self,

Then you are everything I have ever wished to be.

Author's Note

Please don't judge my own values, because this is quite personal. Otherwise, please review, all feedback is much appreciated.