Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember how much peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all people.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive people; they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for there will always be greater and lesser people than you.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Stay interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession amid 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 people strive for high ideals,
and life everywhere 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 the strength of your spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imagination.

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, there is no doubt that the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labor 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.