Go placidly
amid the noise and the haste, and
remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak
your truth quietly and clearly; and listen
to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they
too have their story.
Avoid
loud and aggressive persons; they
are vexations to the spirit. If you compare
yourself with others, you may become
vain or bitter; for always there will be greater
and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy
your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however
humble; it is a real possession in the changing
fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your
business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let not this not blind you to what virtue
there is; many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the
face of all aridity and disenchantment it is
as perennial as the grass.
Take
kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully
surrendering the things of youth. Nurture
strength of spirit to shield you in sudden
misfortune. But do not distress yourself
with dark imaginings. Many fears are
born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond
a wholesome discipline, be gentle with
yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less
than the trees and the stars; you have a right
to be here. And whether or not it is clear
to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding
as it should.
Therefore
be at peace with God, whatever you
conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors
and aspirations, in the noisy confusion
of life, keep peace with your soul.
With
all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
It has been argued where exactly Desiderata
came from, but these are a few rumored places
I now of so far.
-found in Old Saint Paul's Church,
Baltimore; Dated 1692.
-It was written by Max Ehrmann in 1927,
and copyrighted in in 1948 by his widow, Betty.
Through a lawsuit, it had been labeled Public Domain
(anyone can use it) since 1975.
-Desiderata was printed in the stone wall
of the bell tower of St. Paul's church,
It was printed in latin and therfore
was mostly ignored by the people.
Max's contribution was that he was
the first person to translate the latin into english
and distribute to the congregation there.
Max's widow had placed a copyright
on the writing to gain a monetary control
over its distribution after his death.
The lawsuit that was won by the church
was to ensure that it remained
in the public domain free to all who cared to read it,
as it was intended when max first translated.
The best
and most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or touched.
They must be felt with the heart.
~ Helen Keller ~
We cannot become who we need to be
By remaining who we are.
~ author unknown ~
When your heart speaks take good notes
~ author unknown ~
'99
