A JEWEL IN THE CROWN

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Desiderata
Les Crane

Desiderata. Desiderata. 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 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 perenial as the grass.
Take kindly the council 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 borne 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 careful. Strive to be happy.

This is very wise and very beautiful. Thank you for posting this.

The word "Desiderata" looks familiar, but I can't place the significance it may have, and I can't find anything like it in my (admittedly cheap) dictionary. What does it mean or signify?

Hi i expect sagehawk will knmow better but the word comes from the latin meaning desirable ...and as far as i know the prayer means just that tha desirable and so far as i know was written in the middle ages ....could be wrong but suspect sage hawk will say ..om ma da ...suta at planet earth somewhere on a spiral in the milky way ..yo

This struck me as wise as well as beautiful too..It somehow touched a chord..This is what I found through research below:

You are very welcome..my pleasure

Suta you are correct in Latin for "desired things" however some would misunderstand this meaning in a material way..this poem is about attaining happiness in life. I also found that it was not written in the middle ages as thought by many people as I found that it had been a Hoax according to my findings. I have the information below:

So yes Suta, you suspected right "sagehawk says" LOL!! You are such a sweet and funny man with a beautiful heart.. Walk In Beauty Sagey xxx

Desiderata (Latin for "desired things", plural of desideratum) is an inspirational prose poem about attaining happiness in life. It was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann. Modern readers may know its National Lampoon parody Deteriorata better than the original.

In the 1960s it was widely circulated without attribution to Ehrmann, sometimes with the claim that it was found in a church and was written in 1692. Nevertheless, the estate of Ehrmann has kept various editions of the work in print. A spoken-word recording of the essay was made by Les Crane

Desiderata is a poem or essay on attaining happiness in life. In the 1960s it became the subject of a hoax when it was claimed that it had actually been discovered in a Baltimore church in 1692. It was actually written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann (see his article for further details).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata

Oh yes Ilya ...Well I did not have a dictionary handy so I just did the search in Wikipedia.com

This has come through for me many times when I was stumped at a word or meaning

Just thought I would share this

Hi sagehawk ...guess the moving went well......in a desiderata sort of way....nice you back ...om ma HARI da ......eye I SAYS THE LIGHT. THE true desiderata ummmmmmmmmm..OM MANI PADMI HUM

Thank you both for help with this word. I probably would have just let it go as a "simple" misunderstod word, but the author uses it three times in the first line, as in an invocation. Thus it appeared to take on a special significance.

Thanks for the tip on wikipedia. I never seem to think about that for some reason, even though I've been there quite a few times while searching for other things!

I just don't know how I managed to overlook this beautiful writing that you posted Sagey....well you have returned with avengeance and have filled our minds and hearts on many levels. I can only agree with what the others have said...it really is simple wisdom...which is sometimes the best. Thankyou...oh yes...Wilkipedia...thanks as well for that tip....Love always.............Topaz xxx

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