Desiderata

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 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 in 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 © 1927

Advice From The Desiderata - The Best is Yet To Be

https://www.stjohneldershome.org.sg/blog/desiderata

One writing that has given me great comfort is the “Desiderata” or roughly translated, “Desired Things” (Max Ehrmann, 1872-1945).  A prose poem, Desiderata was written in 1927; Max Ehrmann in 1933 sent out Christmas cards that included the text of Desiderata.  During WWII, an Army psychiatrist sent out about 1,000 copies of “The Desiderata” to soldiers under his care- in particular, the advice on “graceful aging”.

“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.”

Every age in our lives has its own charm and beauty – from the day we are born when all things are mysterious and new, to the day when we return to our Lord, in whom we finally will find peace.  The Desiderata teaches us to learn from the experience and the richness of time as it comes to past.   The best way to live life is to believe and discover that the best is yet to be.   Happiness also means that  we must learn to let go the things of the past … especially things that youth provides but time has taken away to give way to a whole new beginning in the next chapter.

To be happy as one gracefully accepts the passing of the years, one must continue to build and nurture our spiritual self.   Time and nature may weaken the body, but hope and nurture can strengthen the spirit.  As with any journey, there will be bumps along the road.  While the material self can help smooth the journey of life, it is the spiritual strength that is called to the test when misfortune really strikes.  Those who have nurtured this spiritual shield will find the strength to always seek beauty and grace in the every age.

As we travel further down the road of life, we tend to carry the baggage of our past and worry about the years that lie ahead with us.  Loneliness and fatigue can take a big toll on our spirit.  Free yourself from these fears and take the time to appreciate the present.  Stop to smell the roses and listen to the birds sing.  Treasure the friends and family you have today – and more importantly, the hours and minutes you spend with them.  True companionship will be your answer to your fears and dark imaginings.

Live each day with the belief that the next day will be a better day, and that the best is yet to be.  And we trust this always in the hands of our Lord and Maker.