Fly Fishing with Max Ehrmann

Max Ehrmann wrote the Desiderata whenever ago*+;...
(I am soooooo NOT a stickler for details)

You know the Desiderata, it's that thing that starts off - GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there my be silence etc. yadda blah

Now. Call me crazy, but there are a lot of things in there just don't sit well with me.

Is it just me?!?

The way I see, hear and read it is - even in his attempt to remind people to look-to-the-good-and-not-to-or-directly-at-others, and to, well pretty much just accept this crazy crappy miserable life as if ain't nothing can be done about it kind of thing.

I dunno....*....maybe I'm an eeedjit of a "Hopefullist"...which is not an optimist, nor an idealist....just a hopefullist.

But he kind of comes across like he's letting a lot of people down when they read his anti-uplifting words.

I won't go line for line, cause well, I'm tired, drained, depleted and/or, yes, lazy, not to mention there are too many lines, but also because then I'd be just as guilty of not saying anything uplifting. (spoiler alert: I'll be just as guilty)

Read his Desiderata and you tell me how far off the mark I am.

He pretty much starts off saying that which sounds like it's going to blow all the cobwebs out of one's dusty head with perfect words that could-be-great and will inspire you to change your life, but then retracts his very words within the same line.

It's an amazing bit of literary-fly-fish-casting he does. Spectacular work of art.

And, not unlike fly fishing itself, something I'd put in the category of: spectator sport.

Not something I would like to actually spend my time doing. His words are like fishhooks in your brain - they hurt !

Par examplement Max says: As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

What Fi sees: Yep. People. Here we go, let us descend into his words...Do NOT even consider trying to be, or give a bit more than you coulda woulda or shoulda...he's saying there are limits to kindness and quite frankly, you don't have to take one iota of a step in a more generous direction. As for the good terms...forget emotion...don't think or feel anything...just be civil and remain drum tight. Every minute is a cold business transaction that we ought to get a tax deductible receipt for. That's right, stay right where you are and we, the remote & distant, will consider that you did right by not doing, giving or being so much as a better, nicer, warmer, more civil person than you need to be. No need to bother.

Next line: ...listen to others, even the dull and ignorant they too have their story.

What Fi sees: where do I even begin with that?! what a horrible statement in and of itself, of course I get the gist, but C'MON PEOPLE we allllllllll get the gist...what's say we do a wee bitty more than just get-the-gist? And why couldn't he have just rephrased the same gist without reducing people?! I give him credit for using the word TOO in his line...which at least acknowledges that he too knows he's AS dull and ignorant as those he's speaking poorly of.

What's say we try, just once....but never stop...and actually live and walk the words on an every-living-breathing-moment basis TO SUCH A DEGREE, we ascend epistemological mindsets & although we will always come from our unique differences (?!?!) we might yet all agree to see that we it's not about power, wealth,class systems, lots, or caste.

There are only two kinds of people on this earth. There have only ever been two kinds of people on earth...but I will hold our and hope that we all become the same kind despite or because of our differences.

There are: the kind, decent, gentle, generous and loving kind. And those unkind kind who have decided to NOT be kind.

Because regardless of every reasons under the sun - we are always only ever living and breathing one second at an ever changing time, and in this second we are always deciding what we will, or will not do, thus: how we will, or will not be.

Getting back to Max's dull and ignorant line of same description, as I would look to the one who puts that description out there, and read that to describe the character putting it forth. But did he not effectively prove he is/was not caring, or interested in finding out something interesting within or about whom he just wrote off....too busy deciding not to??

Well, I'd venture to say that does not mean the other person (being written off) is as bad as all that as another professes them to be.

Who's to say anything? And if it ain't nice, don't say anything at all. An old adage, to be sure, but a goody.

What if, instead of looking upon our fellow fellows and assume (cause we do not know) they are dull and ignorant,and in that stead we:

(a) perceived all people are centuries in the making, a work in progress not entirely complete so don't judge
(b) we acknowledge the profundity that we are alllllllll deep, sensitive, perceptive & inherently knowing (some just chose to stomp on others, and perhaps they do cause they know they are feeble in more ways than other are ; ) woops - but I was talking about the heart & face stompers among us.
(c) don't just "practise" this...but perfect it.

And those simple different actions and beliefs would result in a different world..or am I crazy?!

That might just get to continue this work in progress a bit longer than the current trajectory we're on.

Don't try and be nice.

Be nice.

(and in doing so you'll be a better Max than Max was in his Desiderata)

AUGH = : o

I can't believe I just said that!! I went completely off the map there!! ((giggle))

Sorry Max...to err is human Mr. Ehrmann