Go placidly amid the noise & haste,
& remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
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Speak your truth quietly & clearly; and listen to others, even the dull &
ignorant; they too have their story.
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Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If
you compare yourself with others, you may become vain & bitter; for always
there will be greater & lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans.
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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.
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Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about
love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as
the grass.
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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 & loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
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You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & 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.
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Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever
your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with
your soul.
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With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful. Strive to be happy.
Found in Old Saint Paul's Church, Baltimore; dated 1692