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ADVICE
FROM THE PAST
It
is still true today
This
came to me from a friend.
I
find it particularly fascinating that this document,
obviously written with a great deal of thought and
passion, could be just as appropriate today, as it was
the day it was written by Max Ehrmann (1872 - 1945)
sometime in the 1920's.
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.
Conclusion:
It would seem to me
that the values that people held dear years ago could
just as easily be applied to life today. What is old is
new again, or at least we should try and make it so, for
the benefit of us all.
PS:
When
I originally added this article to my site a few years
ago it came with the following notation: The
following document was found in Old St. Paul's Church in
Baltimore in 1692. Author unknown - age of document
unknown. The real truth about the source of
this document was recently pointed out to me by a reader
in England, my thanks to Elina for writing to me and for
providing the following link, http://www.fleurdelis.com/desidera.htm where you
can read for yourself the interesting background of a
story that was mistakenly given a history it did not
deserve.
Remember
Wisdom
is a product of the past, not the future.
Part
the clouds - see the way.
"The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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