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             De Re Vita (On Life)
              by Daniel J. Dorey

Go placidly amid the noise & haste,
and remember what peace there be in silence.
As far as possible, be on good terms with all persons,
Better to bend than break.

Speak your truth quietly, clearly & firmly.
  The blindest are those who refuse to see,
  Amongst them one eye makes you king.

No package is smaller than one wrapped up in themselves,
Learn from others, even the dull & ignorant have lessons to teach.
None stand so tall as when they stoop to help another.
Your character determines youdestiny.

Avoid loud & aggressive persons,
they are vexatious to your spirit.
The wrong protest too loudly,
  And hollow vessels just resonate,
  With little of use but plenty to sell.
Common sense is so uncommon.

Always question authority,
It snuffs-out our brightest stars.
Lies repeated enough become accepted as truth.
Might never makes right.
Evil spreads when we look away.
Honesty is the best policy.

Comparing yourself to others is painful & vain.
For greater & lesser persons will always be,
Everyone is blessed in their own way.
Better to be ugly of visage than ugly of spirit,
And better to suffer wrong than commit it.
Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.

Enjoy your achievements & plans.
  Every journey starts with one step.
Keep your desires modest.
Wanting is greater than having,
And those with the fewest are richest.
Be not enslaved by your avarice,
For money is a merciless master.

Pleasure in your job puts perfection in your work.
Keep interested in your career, however humble.
Under promise, over deliver & opportunity will knock.

Exercise caution & avoid trickery.
Praise truth seekers & avoid those claiming to have it.
Many speak truth, but few live it.
But let not charlatans blind you to the virtuous,
Many strive for high ideals & heroism.
Even a small kindness outweighs a grand intention.

To thine own self be true, never feign affection.
Be not cynical of love, in the face of aridity & disenchantment,
It is as perennial as the pyramids.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
Gracefully surrendering the things of youth,
For each age has its graces,
And youth is wasted on the young.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in misfortune.
Do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Most fears are born of fatigue & loneliness.
Nothing is ever good or bad as one imagines.
Though pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
In the darkest night, better to light a single candle,
than curse the darkness.

Wisdom is born of bad experience.
When at your lowest, look around,
Those left are your true friends,
Cherish them always.

Be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
Put no man between him & yourself,
For his temple resides inside each of us.
And whether or not it is clear to you, the universe is unfolding as it should.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
its still a wonderful world.

Be not judged by others,
  You have our own path & burdens to bear,
And not to live up to any one's expectations.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself,
For no one is perfect.

Whatever your labors & aspirations,
In life's noise & confusion, be at peace,
For inner silence is true strength.

You are a child of the universe,
No less than the trees and the stars,
You have a right to be here.

(c)2009 Daniel J. Dorey - Free to  distribute widely. Adapted from Desiderata, Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)
Free for non-commercial use provided my name & this notice included. Please forward to all your friends. }
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