DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise & the haste,
& 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 & clearly,
& listen to others,
Even to the dull & ignorant;
they too have their story.
 
Avoid loud & 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 & 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.
 
Be yourself.
 
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
For in the face of all aridity & 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 & loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
Be gentle with yourself.
 
You are a child of the universe
No less than the trees & 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 labours & aspirations,
In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
 
With all its sham, drudgery, & broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
 
Be cheerful.
 
Strive to be happy.