Desiderata!

If you are wondering what it means... Its the latin term which means "Desired Things". This is the title of the famous poem by Max Ehrmann which starts "GO PLACIDLY AMIDST THE NOISE AND THE HASTE AND REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE IN SILENCE".

I wouldn't call it a poem! Its a verse or a short essay (if the poet lived now, he would have blogged it!). I don't really know the purpose of this Poem. But some verses have touched me deeply! Both ways i should say! Some of it i agree... And some it i dont!

1) AS FAR AS POSSIBLE BE "WITHOUT SURRENDER" BE ON GOOD TERMS WITH ALL PERSONS!

Awesome statement. I've learnt a lot in life. Most of them love me...! Thats true.. But am not too sure if they LOOOVE me! they love me because I am usually on good terms with all... They don't LOOVE me because i surrender sometimes... It's in sync with the Rajinikanth principle.. be good to those who are good... and u know the rest!

2) DONT COMPARE, FOR ALWAYS THERE WILL BE GREATER AND LESSER PERSON THAN YOURSELF!

So true... We always live for someone else.. We compare! Our clothers, our food, our work, our body language and in some cases, what we want to be is determined by someone else.. Is'nt that disgusting! Its our life after all. We were made to be like this. We were moulded periodically but if there is a boss, then there will be an office boy. If not where is the organisation.!

3) KEEP INTERESTED IN YOUR CAREER HOWEVER HUMBLE!

Love this... Settled in a mofussil area, lots of well-wishers chide me for having ruined my life. Some say they need a "good" career. I seriously dont feel that there is anything bad about my career. I educate the uneducated at the rural areas, whereas most of them inform the misinformed on the urban areas! Good career has nothing to do with where one works but with how one works and what impact the work creates for a common man.

4) BE YOURSELF, DO NOT FEIGN AFFECTION!

Do you think it is possible nowadays? Most of us fictitiously provide immense affection. This reminds me of one of favourite school teacher who was absolutely straight forward. He is what he is, because of which he has seen the worst and best part of his life. This is like the Brutus dialogue in Julius Ceaser "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats; For I am armed so strong in honesty, that they pass by me as the idle wind". Be true to yourself. Success would come some day. But later the better.

5) DONT BE CYNICAL ABOUT LOVE, FOR IT IS AS PERENNIAL AS THE GRASS!

Surprising! This is where the poet plays with words. The game that makes us misunderstandably understand the phrase. Is Grass perennial?? The normal dictionary meaning of perennial is "something that last for many year". Love does last more that what we understand perennial. Or maybe since he used "Cynical", he assumes it to be perennial... Poets and their words..!

6) NUTURE THE STRENGTH OF SPIRIT TO SHIELD YOU IN SUDDEN MISFORTUNE. BUT DO NOT DISTRESS YOURSELF WITH IMAGININGS!

If this is well understood by everyone, there would be no hyper tension and people would live at peace. Most of the problems in the world would be solved. But what is strength of spirit? It is not just the emotional strength. It is the strength of the inner self. Emotions are driven by what happens exteriorly. This is the inner self. And Talk about imaginings??? The super phrase which most of us use atleast 20 times in a day. Believe me.. We do.. if not utter, we think... "What if?" What if this happens, what if this happens... So many what if's and it does distress us!

7) MANY FEAR ARE BORN OF FATIGUE & LONELINESS!

We have all experienced this. But (with the sense of pride!) I have overcome this. Not just like any other individual, I have not gone where the wind blows, but I've endured the storm! Started practise all alone, and been handling immense pressure all alone. Lonely yet successful. It was indeed frightening. But that is what pushes me to complete the job. I'm sorry all you clustered corporate clans, you are not lonely, yet you are fatigued and ofcourse dead scared.

8) YOU ARE A CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE, NO LESS THAN THE TREES AND THE STARS, YOU JAVE A RIGHT TO BE HERE!

Yessss! This is my world. I own it... But why are some people destroying my world? That's because they have not realised that they are no less that the trees. They want supremacy. It will be defeated!

9) WHETHER OR NOT IT IS CLEAR TO YOU, NO DOUBT THE UNIVERSE IS UNFOLDING AS IT SHOULD!

I dont understand the purpose of the world. Why should there be a universe? Why mankind? But thats the way it is.. I'm reminded of verses from the Bhagavath Gita.. "Edhu Nadandhadho adhu nanragavae nadandhadhu... " I'm sure most of you know the rest!

10) WITH ALL ITS SHAME, DRUDGEERY AND BROKEN DREAMS, IT IS STILL A BEAUTIFUL WORLD! BE HAPPY. STRIVE TO BE HAPPY!
(My favourite)

The poet considers all three as unavoidable. The beauty of the poem lies here.
SHAME = We feel ashamed due to our thoughts or actions.
DRUDGERY = We do not choose drudgery. It comes to us.
BROKEN DREAMS = These our thoughs but have not come to us as an accomplished task.

Three different words and meanings but the association with each on of them is well handled!


This verse has been framed in my room. Don't really know how it would help me. But all I could do after reading this poem is.. "Strive to be happy!"