Re-collecting
memories and events of years gone by… of 2012 soon coming to a close; and,
looking forward to 2013 that lies ahead, a lovely poem which was a favorite in
my high school and college years came to mind. Life is beautiful. Life is
precious. Life is worth living.
The wisdom
shared in this poem is worth considering, anew…
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THE DESIDERATA
(by Max Ehrmann)
Go placidly amidst the noise and
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 the dull and the ignorant; they too
have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexatious 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 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 shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be
cheerful.
Strive to
be happy.
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Max Ehrmann was an attorney turned philosopher-poet who live
in Terre Haute, Ind. He spent his life wrestling with the realities of making a
living and following his personal calling to a life of poetry, literature, and
thought. He wrote A Prayer, which became a message of hope for thousands, but
he is best known for Desiderata, which he wrote for himself, "because it
counsels those virtues I felt myself most in need of." Max included this
work as part of a personal Christmas greeting in 1933, and Desiderata's power
and appeal have continued to reach out to and significantly affect readers ever
since. He died in 1945.
