The common myth is that the Desiderata poem was found in a Baltimore church in 1692 and is centuries old, of unknown origin. Desiderata was in fact written around 1920 (although some say as early as 1906), and certainly copyrighted in 1927, by lawyer Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) based in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Desiderata myth began after Reverend Frederick Kates reproduced the Desiderata poem in a collection of inspirational works for his congregation in 1959 on church notepaper, headed: 'The Old St Paul's Church, Baltimore, AD 1692' (the year the church was founded). Copies of the Desiderata page were circulated among friends, and the myth grew, accelerated particularly when a copy of the erroneously attributed Desiderata was found at the bedside of deceased Democratic politician Aidlai Stevenson in 1965.

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 vexations to the spirit.

I have always thought this to be a profoundly wise statement and I have tried to live by it.

I'm so glad you clipped this because I haven't read it in a long while. Thank you.

God or Godess Bless, Michelle...you came just at the right moment to inspire me to keep posting!!! I usually hit the ground running, but there were so many "piepsen-klaxon-gessellschaft-mit-beschrifter-haftung" type buttons to learn, in this thingy, I thought I'd goofed up and looked like a jackass ;-D
Yes, that Max guy, he musta had a beautiful heart, huh? Btw, you're a frienda mine, anytime...I'm off in search of the "Heart Of Saturday Night", (Tom Waits): "Tell me, is it the crack of the pool balls, neon buzzin', or cuz the telephone's ringin' (it's yer 2nd cuzzin)? Is it the barmaid's smile, in the corner of her eye, or the magic of that melancholy tear in your eye?"
Bye fer now,
Dave, Piecekeeper, eh? ;-D

Err, oops...Max HAS a beautiful heart.

^_^

BigD