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DiscussionFor All Who are Grumpy, Whining, Regretting, etc.....
Aging Well | Last Active: 19 hours ago | Replies (34)Comment receiving replies
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@edsutton Thank you for sharing such a wonderful video! When I am grumpy, whining and regretting I think of the lovely poem 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.
Some things won't be okay. Some dreams won't happen. People will disappoint you. Your body will change. You'll lose things you love. And you can still have peace.
You don't have to win every battle.
You don't have to remain young.
You don't have to make everyone understand you.
You don't have to prove your worth.
You don't have to regret every mistake.
You can simply reach a point in life where you say:
This is my life. It hasn't been perfect. But it is mine, and I am still here and there is still beauty in it.
That's why Desiderata has remained meaningful for so many people. It isn't really a poem about having a perfect life. It's a poem about making peace with an imperfect one.