Two Posts and Desiderata

Two things that I need to share from my blogosphere journeys this week:

Introverted Blogger’s post Follow On about the challenges of managing our time as bloggers in terms of commenting and following was spot on. She chose one of the universal themes of the social media age in asking the question about how much is enough time to spend on the liking and commenting. The post and the comments make it clear that many of us are grappling with this issue.

Tartx’s post blogging without obligation which absolutely resonated with me and made me add a badge to my blog. She has offered a solution to all my feelings of angst and guilt about blogging irregularly and being an itinerant visitor to blogs I follow. The deal is this personal blog was supposed to be fun, a hobby. Cant  feel guilty about not eating chocolate or getting a chance to belt it out in the shower. When it happens, it is great; when it doesnt….

All this got me thinking about how people should be gentle with themselves, and then I remembered this poem Desiderata which I had up on my wall in in earnest teenage years. I went back to read it  and found that portions of it applies to all social media engagement.  I kid you not. The rest – you can decide applies to life at large!

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 and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your 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.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as 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 careful. Strive to be happy.

I like the story behind this poem – it was purported for long that it was found in “Old St.Paul’s Church in 1692”; it has since been established that it was written by Max Ehrmann, an Indiana poet and lawyer, sometime in the 1920s.

So, my takeways:

• Blog when you have something to share.
• Follow those who intrigue you.
• Comment when you can contribute to the conversation.
• Like when you really want the writer to know that you appreciated their post – the idea, the language, the photo, the viewpoint etc.
• Think before you do any of the above!