Our 16-year-old set out, yesterday, on a 24-hr voyage. Alone, she flew from Nice to London, then London to Dallas, and on to Denver. Unsure of what to say to my daughter before she left, I slipped the following poem into her travel bag. Photo taken at the Vieux Port in Marseilles, on break from her internship at a couturier's.
"D E S I D E R A T A" by Max Ehrmann
Allez tranquillement parmi le vacarme et la hâte
Go placidly amid the noise and haste
Et souvenez-vous de la paix qui peut exister dans le silence
Remember what peace there may be in silence
Sans aliénation, vivre autant que possible en bons termes avec toutes personnes
As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons
Dîtes doucement et clairement votre vérité; et écoutez les autres, même le simple d'esprit et l'ignorant, ils ont eux aussi leur histoire.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Évitez les individus bruyants et agressifs, ils sont une vexation pour l'esprit.
Avoid loud and agressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
Ne vous comparez avec personne : vous risqueriez de devenir vain ou vaniteux.
If you compare yourselves with others, you may become vain and bitter.
Il y a toujours plus grand et plus petit que vous.
For there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
"Trampoline" photo of Jackie taken in 2011
Jouissez de vos projets aussi bien que de vos accomplissements.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Soyez toujours intéressé à votre carrière, si modeste soit-elle
Keep interested in your own career, however humble
C'est un véritable atout dans les prospérités changeantes du temps
It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Soyez prudent dans vos affaires car le monde est plein de ruses
Exercise caution in your business affairs for the world is full of trickery
Mais ne soyez pas aveugle en ce qui concerne la vertu qui existe ;
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
Plusieurs individus recherchent les grands idéaux ;
Many persons strive for high ideals;
Et partout la vie est remplie d'héroïsme.
And everywhere life is full of heroism
Soyez vous-même. Surtout n'affectez pas l'amitié.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection.
Non plus ne soyez cynique en amour
Neither be cynical about love
Car il est en face de toute stérilité et de tout désenchantement aussi éternel que l'herbe
For in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass
Prenez avec bonté le conseil des années,
Take kindly to the counsel of the years
En renonçant avec grâce à votre jeunesse.
Gracefully surrendering the things of youth
Fortifiez une puissance d'esprit pour vous protéger en cas de malheur
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune
Mais ne vous chagrinez pas avec vos chimères.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings
De nombreuses peurs naissent de la fatigue et de la solitude.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness
Au delà d'une discipline saine, soyez doux avec vous-même
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself
Jackie, 7 years old.
Vous êtes un enfant de l'univers, pas moins que les arbres et les étoiles;
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
Vous avez le droit d'etre ici.
You have a right to be here.
Et qu'il vous soit clair ou non, l'univers se déroule sans doute comme il le devrait
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
With my daughter, 5 years-old then…
Soyez en paix avec Dieu, quelle que soit votre conception de lui
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be
Quels que soient vos travaux et vos rêves,
Whatever your labors and aspirations
Gardez, dans le désarroi bruyant de la vie, la paix de votre âme.
In the noisy confusion of life, keep at peace with your soul
Avec toutes ses perfidies, ses besognes fastidieuses et ses rêves brisés,
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams
Le monde est pourtant beau ;
It is still a beautiful world;
Prenez attention.
Be cheerful.
Tâchez d'être heureux.
Strive to be happy.
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This takes my breath away – so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
This takes my breath away – so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Kristin! Thank you so much for posting this in French! I thought you might profit from this wikipedia entry:
“Desiderata” History
“Desiderata” (Latin: “desired things”) is a 1927 prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann. Largely unknown in the author’s lifetime, the text became widely known after its use in a devotional and after spoken-word recordings in 1971 and 1972.
American writer Max Ehrmann (1872–1945) wrote the prose poem “Desiderata” in 1927. In 1956, the Reverend Frederick Kates, rector of Saint Paul’s Church in Baltimore, Maryland, included Desiderata in a compilation of devotional materials for his congregation. The compilation included the church’s foundation date: “Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore A.D. 1692.” Consequently, the date of the text’s authorship was (and still is) widely mistaken as 1692, the year of the church’s foundation.
Hi Kristin! Thank you so much for posting this in French! I thought you might profit from this wikipedia entry:
“Desiderata” History
“Desiderata” (Latin: “desired things”) is a 1927 prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann. Largely unknown in the author’s lifetime, the text became widely known after its use in a devotional and after spoken-word recordings in 1971 and 1972.
American writer Max Ehrmann (1872–1945) wrote the prose poem “Desiderata” in 1927. In 1956, the Reverend Frederick Kates, rector of Saint Paul’s Church in Baltimore, Maryland, included Desiderata in a compilation of devotional materials for his congregation. The compilation included the church’s foundation date: “Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore A.D. 1692.” Consequently, the date of the text’s authorship was (and still is) widely mistaken as 1692, the year of the church’s foundation.
I will pass on Mr. Ehrmann’s Desiderata to my grandchildren as they begin their own adult lives and face their own deamons.
The French translation is first-rate. Thanks to Karla for the reference to Wikipedia, Adlai Stevenson and all.
The photo of you and Jackie is Jackie is angelic.
My heartfelt wishes to Karen and her daughter; every day is a new challenge. They are not alone.
I will pass on Mr. Ehrmann’s Desiderata to my grandchildren as they begin their own adult lives and face their own deamons.
The French translation is first-rate. Thanks to Karla for the reference to Wikipedia, Adlai Stevenson and all.
The photo of you and Jackie is Jackie is angelic.
My heartfelt wishes to Karen and her daughter; every day is a new challenge. They are not alone.
Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful poem. The photos of your daughter through the years are beautiful.
Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful poem. The photos of your daughter through the years are beautiful.
One of my all time favorites. Merci!
One of my all time favorites. Merci!
This is just BEAUTIFUL! The photos of Jackie and the words — wow.
Just formidable! Merci mille fois!!
xoxo 🙂 Jeanne
This is just BEAUTIFUL! The photos of Jackie and the words — wow.
Just formidable! Merci mille fois!!
xoxo 🙂 Jeanne
Hi Kristin,
Thank you for sharing your pictures of your daughter. I have a 22 year old daughter now, and the pictures of her younger years bring me such happiness and fond memories. I can feel the same joy looking at your pictures here.
When bad things happen, I run to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. C’est tout!
xoxo
Beth
Hi Kristin,
Thank you for sharing your pictures of your daughter. I have a 22 year old daughter now, and the pictures of her younger years bring me such happiness and fond memories. I can feel the same joy looking at your pictures here.
When bad things happen, I run to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. C’est tout!
xoxo
Beth
Kristin,merci. The pictures of Jacki and you are super. I loved the poem.
Kristin,merci. The pictures of Jacki and you are super. I loved the poem.
Greater love has a parent than to allow their child to spread her wings and fly. Bless you for being such a mother. Jacki is very lucky to have you and Jean-Marc for her parents.
Greater love has a parent than to allow their child to spread her wings and fly. Bless you for being such a mother. Jacki is very lucky to have you and Jean-Marc for her parents.
Kristin,
We love your writing and beautiful photographs. I passed Desiderate along to my daughter too. She’s older than you are now. Time flies!
Anyway, I had an entrepreneurial idea that might fit into your business model. I mentioned it to my wife and she brightened and said, “Perfect!”. No catches. I think there’s a market niche that you could fill, and could have fun at it. You already have a clientele.
You have my email address. Send me yours and I’ll be be more specific. OMG this sounds so like a seedy get-rich scheme. None of that. I would be your fist customer.
Warmest, Dana Wilson/Salt Lake City
Kristin,
We love your writing and beautiful photographs. I passed Desiderate along to my daughter too. She’s older than you are now. Time flies!
Anyway, I had an entrepreneurial idea that might fit into your business model. I mentioned it to my wife and she brightened and said, “Perfect!”. No catches. I think there’s a market niche that you could fill, and could have fun at it. You already have a clientele.
You have my email address. Send me yours and I’ll be be more specific. OMG this sounds so like a seedy get-rich scheme. None of that. I would be your fist customer.
Warmest, Dana Wilson/Salt Lake City
Someone else mentioned this typo differently:
Il y a toujours plus grand et plus petit que vous.
For there with always be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
with or will? -j-
Someone else mentioned this typo differently:
Il y a toujours plus grand et plus petit que vous.
For there with always be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
with or will? -j-
Thanks for all your words about this profound tragedy,including the prose poem with translation. There’s some BBC footage of a woman hanging from a window to avoid the attackers, which is horrific, except when the danger had passed, another woman who climbed in the window before her, stopped and helped her to get in. It made me cry to see someone stop, putting herself at risk, to help another person. The world is still filled with simple acts of heroism.
Paz,
Alice Cole/Colorado Springs CO USA
Thanks for all your words about this profound tragedy,including the prose poem with translation. There’s some BBC footage of a woman hanging from a window to avoid the attackers, which is horrific, except when the danger had passed, another woman who climbed in the window before her, stopped and helped her to get in. It made me cry to see someone stop, putting herself at risk, to help another person. The world is still filled with simple acts of heroism.
Paz,
Alice Cole/Colorado Springs CO USA
This was my mother’s favorite poem, and really her guidepost for life. She taped a copy inside a kitchen cabinet, and read it often, sometimes to calm herself. When she died, at 97, I read it at her funeral.
This was my mother’s favorite poem, and really her guidepost for life. She taped a copy inside a kitchen cabinet, and read it often, sometimes to calm herself. When she died, at 97, I read it at her funeral.
from June Turner : Hi Kristen – great column. Have known Desiderata almost off by heart for many years and it still comes to my aid at times! Just one typo – achievement is typed acheivement. All good. All enjoyable. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
from June Turner : Hi Kristen – great column. Have known Desiderata almost off by heart for many years and it still comes to my aid at times! Just one typo – achievement is typed acheivement. All good. All enjoyable. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
Thank you Kristi for a lovely post. I particularly enjoyed the angelic photo of Jackie aged 5, the tale of the hairspray revenge and the thoughts in the poem. I think it was an excellent idea to send Jackie off with a poem. I do hope she has a safe and wonderful trip. I’d also recommend to fellow readers http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?cat=1&id=74 If my link fails, which I fear it will, then it’s the poem entitled Ithaca by the Greek poet Cavafy (easily found on Google and very very beautiful).
Thank you Kristi for a lovely post. I particularly enjoyed the angelic photo of Jackie aged 5, the tale of the hairspray revenge and the thoughts in the poem. I think it was an excellent idea to send Jackie off with a poem. I do hope she has a safe and wonderful trip. I’d also recommend to fellow readers http://www.cavafy.com/poems/content.asp?cat=1&id=74 If my link fails, which I fear it will, then it’s the poem entitled Ithaca by the Greek poet Cavafy (easily found on Google and very very beautiful).