--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This I would like to be- braver and…" description: "\"“This I would like to be- braver and bolder, Just a bit wiser because I am older, Just a bit kinder to those I may meet, Just a bit manlier taking defe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f1/edgar-a-guest-41427_every-man_this-i-would-like-to-be-braver-and-bolde_1656151.jpg" --- # This I would like to be- braver and bolder, Just a bit… ![“This I would like to be- braver and bolder, Just a bit wiser because I am older, Just a bit kinder to those I may meet, Just a bit manlier taking defeat; This for the New Year my wish and my plea- Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit finer, More of a smiler and…” quote by Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f1/edgar-a-guest-41427_every-man_this-i-would-like-to-be-braver-and-bolde_1656151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f1/edgar-a-guest-41427_every-man_this-i-would-like-to-be-braver-and-bolde_1656151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f1/edgar-a-guest-41427_every-man_this-i-would-like-to-be-braver-and-bolde_1656151.jpg) > ““This I would like to be- braver and bolder, Just a bit wiser because I am older, Just a bit kinder to those I may meet, Just a bit manlier taking defeat; This for the New Year my wish and my plea- Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit finer, More of a smiler and less of a whiner, Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand Helping another who's struggling to stand, This is my prayer for the New Year to be, Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit fairer, Just a bit better, and just a bit squarer, Not quite so ready to censure and blame, Quicker to help every man in the game, Not quite so eager men's failings to see, Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit truer, Less of the wisher and more of the doer, Broader and bigger, more willing to give, Living and helping my neighbor to live! This for the New Year my prayer and my plea- Lord, make a regular man out of me.”” [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A prayer for personal growth, seeking modest improvements in bravery, wisdom, kindness, and humility each year. **In simple terms:** Ask for better self each year. Key Takeaway Strive for small, steady self‑improvement. Themes self‑improvement humility gratitude spirituality Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational prayer When to use this quote - new year resolutions - daily kindness - helping others - overcoming selfishness - building courage Key Concepts personal development morality yearly reflection Questions to Reflect On - What small change will you commit to this year? - How can you measure growth without harsh self‑judgment? 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Enjoy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-new-year-to-you-i-wish-every-day-brings-to-you-pleasant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A year from now, you may wish you had started today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lamb/a-year-from-now-you-may-wish-you-had-started-today/) [Karen Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lamb/) > [This New Year, I wish you to be blessed with a marvelous today and a brilliant tomorrow, your heart be filled with merriment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-new-year-i-wish-you-to-be-blessed-with-a-marvelous-today-and-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Edgar A. Guest > [“He was just a small church parson when the war broke out, and he Looked and dressed and acted like all parsons that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/he-was-just-a-small-church-parson-when-the-war-broke-out-and-he/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“You can do as much as you think you can, But you'll never accomplish more; If you're afraid of yourself, young man, There's little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/you-can-do-as-much-as-you-think-you-can-but-you-ll-never-accomplish/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“I watched them tearing a building down, A gang of men in a busy town. With a ho-heave-ho and a lusty yell, They swung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/i-watched-them-tearing-a-building-down-a-gang-of-men-in-a-busy-town/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“Can't is the worst word that's written or spoken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/can-t-is-the-worst-word-that-s-written-or-spoken/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“Miss me, but let me go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/miss-me-but-let-me-go/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“And yet the cares are many and the hours of toil are few; There is not time enough on earth for all I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/and-yet-the-cares-are-many-and-the-hours-of-toil-are-few-there-is-not/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“Obligation They cannot ask for kindness Or for mercy plead, Yet cruel is our blindness Which does not see their need, World-over, town or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/obligation-they-cannot-ask-for-kindness-or-for-mercy-plead-yet-cruel/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“The little house is not too small To shelter friends who come to call. Though low the roof and small its space It holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/the-little-house-is-not-too-small-to-shelter-friends-who-come-to-call/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) > [“The Gentle Gardener I'd like to leave but daffodils to mark my little way, To leave but tulips red and white behind me as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-a-guest/the-gentle-gardener-i-d-like-to-leave-but-daffodils-to-mark-my-little/) [Edgar A. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) [Explore all 10 Edgar A. Guest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-a-guest/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This I would like to be- braver and bolder, Just a bit wiser because I am older, Just a bit kinder to those I may meet, Just a bit manlier taking defeat; This for the New Year my wish and my plea- Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit finer, More of a smiler and less of a whiner, Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand Helping another who's struggling to stand, This is my prayer for the New Year to be, Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit fairer, Just a bit better, and just a bit squarer, Not quite so ready to censure and blame, Quicker to help every man in the game, Not quite so eager men's failings to see, Lord, make a regular man out of me. This I would like to be- just a bit truer, Less of the wisher and more of the doer, Broader and bigger, more willing to give, Living and helping my neighbor to live! This for the New Year my prayer and my plea- Lord, make a regular man out of me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edgar A. 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