“Amid turmoil and upheaval, live your life in peace, and keep in mind that quietness might provide you serenity.
If possible, without unnecessary concessions, maintain good relations with everyone.
Speak the truth calmly and clearly, and allow everyone, even fools and the ignorant, to speak.
Avoid shouters and aggressive people; they only irritate your spirit.
If you start comparing yourself with others, vanity and bitterness can take over you because there will always be those who will be either better or worse than you.
I am happy with my achievements and plans. Strive for success, even modest; he alone is your real asset in this changing world.
Be careful in your affairs, as the world is full of fraud. But do not let deception hide your virtues from you: many aspire to high ideals, but everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. And especially, do not show feigned affection. Also, do not be cynical when dealing with love because amid boredom and disappointment, it alone, like grass, is reborn again and again.
Accept the passage of time with gratitude and part with the things that made you happy in your youth without regret.
Develop the strength of the spirit to protect you from the blows of fate. But don’t let dark thoughts take over you. Fatigue and loneliness give rise to many fears.
Do not forget about discipline, be kind to yourself.
You, like trees and stars, are born of the universe. And you have the right to be here. Whether you realize it or not, the universe is developing as it should.
Therefore, live in peace with God, no matter what you imagine him to be. And no matter what you do or your aspirations, keep peace in your soul amid noise and confusion. Despite the lies, hard work, and unfulfilled dreams, our world is still beautiful.
Do not be sad. And try to be happy.”
There is a legend associated with this verse…
The author of the text is Max Ehrmann, a poet, and lawyer from the state of Indiana (USA). He lived from 1872 to 1945. In his diary, Max wrote: “I would like, if I succeed, to leave behind a gift – a small essay imbued with the spirit of nobility.” Somewhere in the late 20s, he created “Naputtya.”
Around 1959, the rector of St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore added this poem to a folder of texts for his parish. At the same time, the inscription on the folder indicated: “Old St. Paul’s Church, 1962.” (It was founded in 1962).
Parishioners of the church passed this folder to each other. In 1965, one parishioner’s guests saw this text and became interested in it. It seemed to him that “Naputtya” was a greeting card for Christmas. And since the text was in the folder “Old St. Paul’s Church, 1962”, the guest decided that the text was found in this church this year.
