NAME: Cyren Mae A.

Flores TCP 1B DATE: September 21, 2019

DESIDERATA

The world, as shameful as it may seem, is often seen to be full of misery, hatred,

loneliness, doubt and envy. And getting through all these is one of the hardest thing an

individual could ever have and deal with.

Luckily, Max Ehrmann composed “Desiderata”. In which, he tries to inspire people

on how to deal with the imperfections of life; how to rise above these imperfections; and

to have a better outlook of the world they live in by being contented and genuinely happy

with what they have.

Every stanza implies a different morals and lessons to live by. Let me share you my

favorite.

ANALYSIS

“Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about

love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is a perennial as the grass.”

In this modern age of today, people often go against what they really like and what

they think is right or what their parents is advising them just to please their peers and the

people around them. Simply because they think that it is the way to becoming popular and

accepted.

In this case, they are becoming more confused for not knowing whom to please and

how. Since, they are doing things that are not really the reflection of who they are and just

for the sake of being accepted.

With these, the poet simply asks us, readers, to embrace what and who we really

are. He asks us to have the courage to accept ourselves as we really are, and not as someone

else thinks we should be. To never ever pretend to be someone else just to fit in and gain

acceptance.
 Also, to not fake love and affection and neither be distrustful about the existence of

it. As human beings, we should be very careful of the feelings and emotions of one another.

We should not be showing motives of feelings for other people, if we are not sure of it and

just want to join the bandwagons. For love will happen if it has to happen.

INSIGHTS

It is true that many of us are having difficulties to express our truest self. Since, we

are afraid of what the world will tell us when we start to remove the mask we are used to

wear. But for us to have peace in our heart, we should start building our courage to respect

ourselves well enough from acting in accordance with our fundamental nature.

By then, I think, others will respect us too by seeing that we are capable of fighting

for ourselves and our own beliefs. By allowing them to see our uniqueness. To let them

love us for just being “us”; for love is a perennial as the grass. It does not require any

special treatment or season to grow. Just be true to your heart.

RECOMMENDATION

Respect other people’s opinions but not to the point that we will let them define us

or our decisions in life. Let us not conform to those stereotypes and the expectations they

have set for us.