Desiderata
by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid 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 vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and 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 sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid 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 vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and 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 sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
posted by howtolive.org at
8:28 AM
4 Comments:
My mother had this hanging on a simple frame on a wall of our staircase at home. Growing up, I would sit on the cold marble to read it. It wasn't until I was 14 or so that I really understood the meaning behind it. We were not religious, this was the closest to any spirituality that I saw in my mother who told me then it brought her strenght, hope and perspective. It was a nice surprise to find this post today, I hadn't read it or thought about it in years. Thank you.
By
aem, at 9:21 AM
Before you invest effort into making yourself happy, consider how likely you are to succeed. Any form of happiness that you can cognitively will yourself into is an impediment to fitness. Happiness only exists because it encourages us to do things that once benefited our survival. Sitting around and thinking about how great your life is wouldn't get you any food, money, status, or sex in the ancestral environment. If anything, it would make you more content with whatever amount of food, money, status, or sex you presently had and less concerned about getting more. We are the descendants of the apes that couldn't be satisfied with three wives and needed to get one more. We should anticipate our brain to contain adaptations that deny us direct control over our own happiness.
By
Anonymous, at 10:05 AM
it's not a beauiful world, a least no to me, and everythiing just sucks and all i am is all that i never thought id be and the one i hate to be.i wish it was as easy as said to live my life. to much time left for me to face more tragedies and confusions and disappointments...
By
Anonymous, at 7:23 PM
You're right that the world is not all beauty and no ugliness. There is a lot of suffering in the world, and you seem to be in the (fairly large) group of those who are in pain. It's likely that any route to happiness that I could suggest in this first email is something you've already thought of and tried. If you could reply with a longer note explaining the source(s) of your unhappiness (if you're comfortable discussing it), what you think it would take for you to be happy, what you've tried so far to achieve it and why you think it didn't work, etc., I might have some ideas. (Of course, if you do decide to listen to my opinions, keep in mind that I'm not a psychologist and am not professionally trained to handle depression.)
By
howtolive.org, at 8:32 AM
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