Desiderata 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 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 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 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 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. At first, I thought this was found in Old St. Paul’s Church, Baltimore, dated 1692. How quaint and charming is that? But after a little research, I learned it was written in the 1920s. The author is Max Ehrmann, a poet and lawyer from Terre Haute, Indiana, who lived from 1872 to 1945. Ehrmann wrote about his inspiration in his diary: "I should like, if I could, to leave a humble gift -- a bit of chaste prose that had caught up some noble moods." By the way, Desiderata is Latin for "Things to be Desired." Here's a nugget of trivia. A spoken-word recording of the essay was made by Les Crane and reached #8 on the Billboard magazine charts in late 1971. Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread the happiness and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to (maybe even a peaceful day) Email this page to a friend. ...in other words, send it to everyone. We all need to smile every once in a while!! Return to the top.

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