aaryaT, abi, aindrila, akshaya, alan.fly, alex, alysha, anaita, anishaDeS, anjana, ankitaG, anuI, anushkaK, aparajitaG, archanaB, arpitaN, arushi, ashikaM,
binaiferS, binnyP, Bosco,
carissa, carl, Celina, Chandani, Chelsea, christie, claudette,
deepaSom, denverC, derek.sonia, dipti, durga,
Erica, errol,
jagruti, joey, jordana, julia, jyotsna,
kanica, karenF, karin/co, karishmaSh, kashu, ketakiS, kiera, kimM, komal,
Lexley, lionelM, loo,
manasviS, maranna, marisaDM, mayuri, meherM, melanie, merle, michelleF,
nainaB, nakitaS, namita, namrataS, nanda, neharika, nikitaDesh, nishaant, niveditaG,
patR, pearlD, petal, poonamB, prachiS, pranotiS, preetiH, pujaG,
reema, rheaC, riyaK, roshanBala, ruchiPal, ruhiM,
saahil, sameen, sami, sanchitaDG, sangeetaG, sanjana, sanket, savioCras, Shaila.vernon, shamsah, sherlaine, shilpaS, siddhiA, smitaJ, sophiaJ, stuti, sujataS, sumi, supriyaC, surekha,
tanyaM, thaiza, tomK, toru, trinjhna,
urvijaa, utsha,
Vabriena, vineet, yvette,
Walter, wendyD,
My dear
I am glad that I am also able to connect with you by email.
Before email, there was letter-writing.
I indulged in it a great deal for many years before the computer and internet and email took over my life!
My record is 750 hand-written letters in a year! (That was such a long time ago!)
And almost everyone I wrote to was sent this wonderful and inspiring piece –
Desiderata ( Desired things)….
I still cherish it. I continue to be inspired by it…..
I am sending it to you too… it is a bit long but it is definitely worth a slow and pensive reading.
khandala villa photo : terryq
Desiderata (desired things)
— written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s —
Now found in Old St. Paul’s Church!
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 labours 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.
Every time I read it there is something new and precious that I learn from it…. any line… any two lines…. and I can look at things again differently and more beautifully….
Hopefully it will be like that for you too….
Just now for me it is the usual rush-rush of Malhar preparations and casual attention to academic things.
I look forward to Sundays and public holidays for that welcome break when I can just laze around and catch up with my breathing and general do-nothingness that I miss out on during the week! Plus, of course, mailing and washing clothes and here-and-there/this-and-that desired things.
Hope things are great for you too and your own desired things continue happening abundantly in your life…
Take care. Love, Terry