Perhaps some of you have read the beautiful Desiderata, which is well-known. Here is a funny version for those who are Desiderata-challenged, and here also is the original (below it) when you are ready for the "real" thing. Enjoy.

The following poem was Not found in an old Baltimore church (the original, true version is below this humorous one):

You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.....
Deteriorata! Deteriorata!
Go placidly
Amid the noise and waste.
And remember what comfort there may be
In owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons
Unless you are in need of sleep.
Rotate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself
And heed well their advice,
Even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss.....and when!
Consider that two wrongs never make a right
But that THREE.........do.
Wherever possible, put people on hold.
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.
Remember the Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle and mutilate.
Know yourself.
If you need help, call the FBI.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you.
That lemon on your left, for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore;
It will stick to your face.
Gracefully surrender the things of youth:
The birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan
And let not the sands of time
Get in your lunch.
Hire people with hooks.
For a good time call 606-4311;
Ask for "Ken."
Take heart amid the deepening gloom
That your dog is finally getting enough cheese.
And reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot
It could only be worse in Milwaukee.
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.
Therefore, make peace with your god
Whatever you conceive him to be---
Hairy thunderer, or cosmic muffin.
With all its hopes, dreams, promises and urban renewal
The world continues to deteriorate.
GIVE UP!
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.

----------------------------------------------------

Performed by National Lampoon on "National Lampoon Radio Dinner," a 1972 recording by Blue Thumb Records. Lyrics by Tony Hendra.
----------------------------------------------------



The Original Desiderata


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 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 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 in 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 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 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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Often attributed as "Found in Old Saint Paul's Church, Baltimore: Dated 1692."

Actually, Desiderata was written in 1927 by an obscure Indiana lawyer and poet named Max Ehrmann. Sources include: The Washington Post, November 27, 1977.

Hi Blink, well, here we are with the poetry again. just stopping in and read the Desiderata and my kid sent me this other poem today so wanted to share.
I think the two positive poems allow for the oneness concept, while can't really comment on the other spoof one as didn't do much for me.
but Desiderata did.
love, alysia




The famous English poet John Donne once penned this short and profound poem:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Physicists call it Chaos Theory, Economists and Mathematicians call it Game Theory, Psychologists call it Family Systems. Call it what you will, the fact remains, we are all of us in this thing called Life together, human beings, animals, the flora. It is a causal chain, a web of interaction and influence, that creates the ebb and flow of existence, and if we humans continue to assume that being at the top of this causal chain somehow exempts us from our spiritual, ethical, and moral responsibilities to everything else on the planet, we will have finally forfeited the deep and awesome responsibility God gave us to exercise dominion over his Creation.

In the Christian tradition we pay much heed to the idea that we are all a part of the mystical Body of Christ, and as one member of the body suffers, so all the members are harried. I extend this logically out to also mean that any suffering in the world on any level has an effect on me, no matter how small, and I take the mystical body of Christ to include all of creation since "even the stones would cry out" if we were to fall silent.

The animals we abuse, torture, and kill (and the forests we cut down and the streams and oceans we pollute) in order to satiate our addiction to meat all represent a chorus of suffering too loud for us to hear. It has become the din of a groaning and suffering Creation (as Paul's Letter to the Romans puts it) that we have grown inured to. And that, mark you, is our own death knell. In the End, most of us won't be judged for the blatant cruelty we exacted as we will for the monstrous indifference we showed.

May God grant us just enough mercy to quicken our consciences but not so much as to deaden our senses. We wonder with a sort of mind-numbing horror how the genocides in African and Europe can happen. Well hell, we just managed to work our way up the food chain.

"Send not to know / for whom the bell tolls, / It tolls for thee."

So grateful to all of you who work so tirelessly for those who, for millennia, have worked so tirelessly for us.

(the words of a Prysbeterian minister)

Hi Alysia, the funny version isn't a big chuckle for me either! But I do think the contrast is interesting, and funny in itself. No doubt in Roman times there was grafitti which made fun of the wise pronouncements of others. Nothing new under the sun.

However, your poem and statement moved me, and I can feel a lot of love behind them. It can be a discouraging world at times but we are all in the same boat, whether it feels that way or not. I don't think most people have a clue how to change the awesome amount of suffering in the world. Do we even know how to love ourselves, how to value and honor what is often silent inside of us?

We are capable of so much more. I'm sure many young people are wondering, why was I born in this day and time, and why should I care about the future when so many things have been "messed up" in this world by others.

The thing is, it seems that every single generation has this same dilemma. Our challenges, shared by all the other living creatures on the planet, only seem more dire now. Despite all the news stories, there have always been the "have's" and the "have-not's" and a life which is consistently unfair for a huge number of beings.

It is how we choose to interpret our "lot" in life which seems to matter most.

I must empty my mind of all the chaos to survive here on planet Earth. Then, I can open up the road for a new vision.

It seems that I am not a saint but, rather, a human being with potential. As are each of us. Because I don't know what that potential truly is, for myself or for those who share this planet with me, I won't predict our future, but strive only to contribute to it.

If I let go of the "prediction" given to me by others, I can now fill in the blanks for myself. This is not delusion but creation.

I realize that, as I age, I will be letting go of lots of "stuff" anyway. Why not now? None of the "stuff" matters much ultimately, at least in the way of attachments. It's always good to let go, when the time is right.

I'm trusting that our true leaders will emerge, the best and the brightest, as this is their time.  All that our politicians cannot do, we must do for ourselves.

And, if anyone is wondering..... Yes, we Can.

love, blink

I see where you are coming from, Justin, but I disagree. There have been numerous discussions of our importance as human beings in the "grander" scheme of it all, in many contexts, on this forum. I think the topic is relevant.

And, certainly, anyone's opinion matters, including yours.

love, blink

Justin-

You are right, this thread is off-topic.  As to why no one spoke up about it, I would guess that the reason is that it was just posted yesterday and the topic is non-controversial.

I agree that poems, songs, funny stories, etc etc should definitely be posted Off Topic.

Actually most off topic posts don't get moved unless someone complains to the moderator.

Justin, what are you talking about? I don't understand what you are trying to say here. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me. Where were your protests when I posted songs that you liked?

Where are your protests, or even participation, in many other situations where your calm voice could make so much of a difference? Show them to me. When I see them I will let you know.

I don't see the "impersonal" approach working very often for you. That could possibly be because it all may be a bit more personal than you think....

Nevertheless, I count you as a friend.

love, blink

 Edited for blessed brevity's sake  ;)  ::)   2 posts, for the price of 6.  That's 3 times less.

 I believe this thread is off topic.  I'm speaking up in this particular case, because of the below already given reasons.

 "Ok Blink, i will say it as simply and as directly as i can.  To me, there seems to be kind of favoritism treatment on part of others, to certain others, who are core, long term members of this site.  

 I do not agree with this, and since it doesn't seem all that conscious, well i'm trying to bring it out into the conscious.   Nothing in the dark can be worked on or through, because its not perceived to begin with.  

 Maybe i am just totally off though.   But if there wasn't something to what i'm perceiving then for example, two threads made by you, a long term poster who knows better, should have been commented on and moved to the Off topic section, just as much as say some of Alan's or other people's threads have been commented on and moved.  

 Why the disconnect, why the difference?     Why for one, and not for the other?

 That's all i'm saying. "  

 

It's funny, Justin, but I don't feel disconnected at all. I feel very connected. Any personal differences between posters on this board are secondary to the search for meaning which we all share.

It is obvious that long term posters receive more attention and understanding at times. Boo hoo.

I don't really care about that. There are subjects much more important to me right now. If anyone here on this forum wishes to engage and to be heard, "anyone" must speak up.  "Anyone" must be determined sometimes.  

So, speak to equality and fairness, anyone. I am all for that. No problems there.

peace, blink

Hi,  :D

Do we get to vote?  I think the Deteriorata is funny !

But then I think alot of things are funny that probably aren't, like why someone would waste their time posting six (6) times to say something that could be said in one---?  (But that's not six votes against what you're saying, J.  ;)  )

Bets

Hi Justin and Blink    I remember way back an injustice done to me on here ,when i used the word liar,we are all on different paths and no two paths will ever be the same,i personally dont think that there should even be an off topic on here,because even though we like to share our thoughts about the afterlife,theres also other things we should be able to share on this board,because all said and done we are only human.

I remember when that Lynn said i was setting her up,which was because she was jealous of me being a medium and when i went on her forum she felt threatened by me because she thought that i would steal the limelight away from her precious throne she seems to think she sits on and i wrote to her and said just what i;m saying here about her,but spirit know she was jealous and she lied ,so she  will have her day when she walks into the spirit world and explains to them her actions to me and Deanna.

I ve come across this all my life being made to feel that i done something wrong and i know that Blinks topic is a bit offtopic but then so are some of mine,so Justin with all love and respect to you,lifes to short to go on at blink because shes offtopic,her words she has put on here talk of love and that is a good thing,but us on here share love and we should just forget about off topic because sometimes i have put things on here which i know are offtopic but at the time i think,it will either stay or get moved,i'm not putting you down justin,but even though you have got up Blinks back ,shes still sending you love,so i say forget  the offtopic and lets just keep posting and giving each other love.

Love you justin,love you blink   love and God bless you both         juditha

hey, Bets, when you started laughing I did too!

and, Juditha, you just made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

i think growing old is going to be fun.

time for my slippers, blink

Juditha:

I remember that you made a similar comment as the below a while ago. It seems like you're holding on to some resentment.  Regardless of who is right or wrong, perhaps it would be best if you didn't hold on to resentment. We really hurt ourselves when we do so. Please, don't take this wrong because I love you a lot. I'm just suggesting that you give yourself a break and let go of your anger on this issue. Eventually, things will work out so you and Linn will meet each other in heaven some day, and love each other completely with no reservations.  We shouldn't take our growing pains too seriously.


[quote author=juditha link=1203978582/0#14 date=1204067159]

I remember when that Lynn

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2008 at 7:05pm:

Hi Justin and Blink    I remember way back an injustice done to me on here ,when i used the word liar,we are all on different paths and no two paths will ever be the same,i personally dont think that there should even be an off topic on here,because even though we like to share our thoughts about the afterlife,theres also other things we should be able to share on this board,because all said and done we are only human. I remember when that Lynn said i was setting her up,which was because she was jealous of me being a medium and when i went on her forum she felt threatened by me because she thought that i would steal the limelight away from her precious throne she seems to think she sits on and i wrote to her and said just what i;m saying here about her,but spirit know she was jealous and she lied ,so she  will have her day when she walks into the spirit world and explains to them her actions to me and Deanna. I ve come across this all my life being made to feel that i done something wrong and i know that Blinks topic is a bit offtopic but then so are some of mine,so Justin with all love and respect to you,lifes to short to go on at blink because shes offtopic,her words she has put on here talk of love and that is a good thing,but us on here share love and we should just forget about off topic because sometimes i have put things on here which i know are offtopic but at the time i think,it will either stay or get moved,i'm not putting you down justin,but even though you have got up Blinks back ,shes still sending you love,so i say forget  the offtopic and lets just keep posting and giving each other love. Love you justin,love you blink   love and God bless you both         juditha

  Hi Juditha, thanks for the above and i know you are not trying to put me down.   I understand what you are saying.  

  But we cannot have rules that apply to some, but not others.   It is not hard to put a thread that you know is off topic in the off topic section.   I don't start a lot of threads all in all, but when i do and they're off topic i put them in that section, because its a form of trying to have respect for the rules and for other posters.  

  Some posters continue to not do this and no one says or does anything.   Others routinely get their threads moved.   There's a deeper reason why there is a difference.   That's the issue i have, not with Blink as a person, not with off topic threads, not with this particular thread, but with inequality and unequal treatment.  

 I'm not trying to stifle anyone's self expression here.  I like many of Blink's threads, but she can just as easily start some of them somewhere else just like the rest of us who are trying to abide by the guidelines set down.  

 As far as Linn and all that goes, i agree with Albert, and i'm speaking from personal experience on this one.   I don't know if you know this or not, but I have just as much reason to be upset at her and that group as you do, if not more so because of the different conditions.    I went from Linn telling me privately that i was one of the highest vibrating people she had ever tuned into, to being banned quite quickly, mostly secretly (to most of the rest of the group), and with no prior warning or strikes.    I got different stories and reasons for why, and to this day i don't fully know why.  

 Point is, it's important to try to let this kind of stuff go.  It can hurt and there is nothing wrong with hurting because of something like that, but for your sake don't let it turn into resentment.

I send a peer moderator question to Bruce regarding this thread. I don't know how this happens that posting up a poem or two and all of a sudden people are not talking about the poem but old hurts.

the old hurts make the thread off topic.   will wait and see if Bruce moves it or not. its up to him.

Justin, I will pm you and tell u what I know about back then. as best as I know. I didn't have the inside track, due to I wasn't moderating.
love, alysia

Hi Justin I did not realise you had a run in with that linn,i can just imagine how you must have felt and she banned me and Deanna on the same day we joined saying we set her up and she will not tolerate that on her forum,so i wrote back and told her what i thought of her,but she did not reply,because i hit some home truth with her and she did'nt like that,but i will try to get rid of my resentment as i've had this for two years now and i have got to learn to let go,its her loss justin not ours.love you juditha

Hi recoverer  I will try and let go of my resentment for that linn as she has done the one thing she shouldnt have done lieing about spirit as the other day i got a message from spirit and i wrote it down ready to put on the afterlife and then i was stopped by spirit because some of it ,i had got wrong so its still written on my word proccesser at the moment as i have got to get this message right,thats why linn the great medium has strayed off the path.

Please forgive me recoverer for this one last thing i've just said about that linn,but i couldnt help myself,i will now concentrate on getting rid of my resentment and i love you lots as well and from today i will stop thinking about that linn.

Love and God bless you both      love Juditha

 Hi Juditha, this is probably something best to talk about via p.m.   If you want or need to talk about it, feel free to p.m. me.  

With PUL,
Justin

With the recognition, Juditha, that what is "private" does not always stay private on this site, I respectfully suggest that you be cautious regarding to whom and how you give your energy to others, especially because of what you have been through lately. I generally believe it is best to let by-gones be by-gones. I have learned my lessons the hard way.

love, blink

...and, if "anyone" thought that the above statement was intended to them "personally," well, I just wouldn't do that.

...and, if "anyone" thought that the above statement was an "invitation" to have a "he said, she said" gab fest on the private message boards, well, no, that really isn't what I meant....

:)

I was just telling Juditha to take it easy. She's been quite "psychic" lately, and I know that it takes a lot of energy. Each of us has a choice about how to use this precious energy.

love, blink

wrote on Feb 28^th, 2008 at 9:20am:

...and, if "anyone" thought that the above statement was intended to them "personally," well, I just wouldn't do that. ...and, if "anyone" thought that the above statement was an "invitation" to have a "he said, she said" gab fest on the private message boards, well, no, that really isn't what I meant.... :) I was just telling Juditha to take it easy. She's been quite "psychic" lately, and I know that it takes a lot of energy. Each of us has a choice about how to use this precious energy. love, blink

 

 Alright, i will try to be open to that explanation.  Thanks for that.   But i also know what you see, isn't always what you get, if you know what i mean.  Particularly with strongly Lunar types.

 You could have easily told Juditha your loving advice via p.m., or not tell her right after someone on the same thread said to her specifically that if they felt like it, they could p.m. them.  

 Gee, i wonder why anybody would think it's personally or individually directed whatsoever? ::) :-/    I more than fully realize that it wasn't just about one person, but at the same time i doubt certain individuals names didn't float across the mind's or heart's eyes at all.  

  And why you felt the need to share that last reply and all that info in same on the public board, i don't know?  Why even respond at all to "someones"  ::) p.m. at all, if you're just going to address the issues that they brought up, on the public board?  

 Oh no, now "they" know it was me, how mortifying for them to know that i'm human and i get angry or upset sometimes!!!   :o ;)    At least i'm sincere and honest about how i really feel and think and don't give others fake smiles and handshakes while i'm thinking or feeling negatively to or about them.

why, why, why

Because I want you to see how silly it all is....and how each of our perceptions depend on what "I" and "you" mean(s).

It's nothing personal. The job is done.

b

Yep it sure is silly.  Surely we must have better use of our time than to indulge in such childish controversies.

 Yes, Roger, i suppose a persons subjective feelings are kind of silly.  It's probably even more silly for a person to talk about their feelings.    Such is the human condition.  

 I use to be one of those rather common males who would try to pretend that he didn't have feelings, that they weren't "important" at all or that i was beyond them, so i would repress that side of me and not communicate much at all about my real feelings.   Often that meant holding the feelings in, and instead of helping, rather they tended to stew, fester, and go deeper into the unconscious, until they would either explode out in a very extreme way very occasionally, or lead to other manifestations of such inner poisons (like ill health for example).  

 On my spiritual path, i realized that my Heart and Throat centers had major blockages.  I realized for me, that was not the way to effectively deal with feelings that before seemed nothing but inconvenient, and that i needed to learn how to talk about or express them, even the unpleasant feelings like sadness, anger, frustration, insecurity, etc.

  This is not always easy to do, especially for a man, because we live in a largely left brain and male dominated society, and men are supposed to be...well "men".   We're taught to not have feelings and that these are a sign of weakness and above all, don't talk about them whatever you do.

 All i can say, is that i'm a much happier person and more consistently so, now that i do express and communicate about my feelings, whether i feel others will look down upon me or not.  Whereas i use to silently hold grudges and resent a lot more when younger, now i rarely do.   Occasionally i will get angry, upset, or frustrated with something, but usually i feel it, recognize it and express it out, and it soon passes.

 Hopefully i will eventually learn how to shift any and all negative feelings into positive and loving ones from the get go, but until then i won't pretend that i'm beyond them like i use too.  

 I've met some people in the spiritual world (particularly some men), whom it seemed that they had such a deeper, overwhelming need to think of themselves and have others think of them as spiritually advanced, that they repress and suppress so much, ever blocking the heart more and more that they become way too over intellectual even though they may have spiritual beliefs and knowledge.   Btw i'm not addressing you in the above.  

 I don't want to develop those kind of tendencies, and so i express and then try to let go (or rather redirect it) but i don't repress or suppress.   I use to expect and demand perfection from myself, and now i realize that hey, i'm 28 years old and i shouldn't expect to be fully ascended, that i need to cut myself some slack.    Dunno, this is probably all silly to you, but its not to me and i don't have a need to be viewed as mature, wise, loving, etc.   I'm just trying to authentically be me.