The timeless wisdom of “Desiderata” resonates deeply with those of us on the recovery journey, particularly in times of profound change and challenge. Just as I wrote yesterday about transforming fear into freedom and finding serenity amid political uncertainty, Max Ehrmann’s 1927 prose poem offers a gentle reminder that peace and strength can be found even in life’s most turbulent moments.

A close friend first shared this piece with me in 2017, during the darkest period of my life. While incarcerated, I committed the poem to memory, reciting it quietly each morning in my cell. Yet despite knowing the words by heart, I failed to capture their essence—to truly live them—upon my release. It would take another six years before I could fully embrace and genuinely live the ideals contained within. Each day, I still strive to embody these principles, and in times of distress, I find myself returning to these words for guidance.

Like the “Day Zero” mindset I discussed in my post, “Desiderata” speaks to the daily renewal of spirit and purpose. Written by Max Ehrmann, a lawyer and philosopher from Terre Haute, Indiana, this meditation on living gracefully amid life’s complexities mirrors many core recovery principles – acceptance, surrender, and the quiet cultivation of character through conscious choices.

The poem’s opening line, “Go placidly amid the noise and haste,” particularly echoes our recovery journey’s call to maintain emotional sobriety and inner peace, even when the world around us seems chaotic. Just as I’ve found that nearly a decade of recovery has transformed my response to political events from fear to acceptance, “Desiderata” offers timeless guidance for navigating life’s challenges with dignity and grace.

Go placidly amid the noise and 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 the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and 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 with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

— Max Ehrmann, 1927

<p>The post Desiderata by Max Ehrmann: “Go placidly amid the noise and haste” first appeared on nEveresting Recovery.</p>

“What if someone despises me? Let them see to it. But I will see to it that I won’t be found doing or saying anything contemptible. What if someone hates me? Let them see to that. But I will see to it that I’m kind and good-natured to all, and prepared to show even the hater where they went wrong. Not in a critical way, or to show off my patience, but genuinely and usefully.”

-MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 11.13

<p>The post Dealing with haters first appeared on nEveresting Recovery.</p>

<p>The post “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”​ first appeared on nEveresting Recovery.</p>

“Don’t be afraid to play the fool.”

Do what inspires joy…in you, not just what brings praise from the world.

“To express ourselves, we have to know ourselves. When you get close to what you love, who you are is revealed to you, and it expands.”

<p>The post “Give yourself permission to be creative” first appeared on nEveresting Recovery.</p>

“The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenalin but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.”​ ​

Thanks, Tim, for this idea to ponder.

In today’s culture of instant gratification and relentless productivity, the idea that art’s purpose lies in fostering lifelong wonder and serenity is more relevant than ever. Art provides a necessary counterbalance, urging us to slow down, introspect, and value sustained growth over fleeting success. Let’s emphasize depth and patience in a society that often prioritizes speed and superficiality, a critical element in preserving our capacity for deep appreciation and understanding.

Olafur Eliasson is an Icelandic-Danish artist known for his large-scale installation art and projects in public space, Eliasson’s work often invites the viewer to engage with the artwork over time and interact with it, provoking reflection on perception, the environment, and the human experience.

The exhibit, “Verklighetsmaskiner” (Reality Machines), included an array of installations that invited visitors to interact and engage with the artwork in novel and experiential ways. By using light, water, mirrors, and natural elements, Eliasson created environments that challenged traditional perspectives and provoked a deep sense of reflection about the nature of perception and reality.

His installations often invite the viewer to be a co-creator in the experience, blurring the lines between the observer and the observed. As such, the exhibition embodies the notion of art as a lifelong process of cultivating a state of wonder and serenity, a concept that stands in stark contrast to the culture of instant gratification prevalent today.

Olafur Eliasson: Verklighetsmaskiner (Reality machines), 2015 from Studio Olafur Eliasson on Vimeo.

<p>The post The purpose of art first appeared on nEveresting Recovery.</p>