"Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann

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 cheerful. Strive to be happy.

First & foremost, I believe in positivity.

In reference to the negativity that is happening in some of the fandoms I participate in, and to the hardcore trolling, what I have to say is: Plenty of people are taking action to stop the trolls. The approach I take, because of my training, is to accept that people have negative emotions and yes, sometimes act poorly because of them. I don't make attempts to stop the attacks toward me personally, because I would prefer to give a person experiencing negative emotions a space in which to express those emotions. Psychologically, this is the healthiest and kindest thing I can do for that person, to allow them the space to feel that emotion, and to recognize that it comes from their own inner turmoil. I respect the dignity in all people, including those who speak negatively to me.

I'm not the fanfiction police, and I'm not anyone's mom. I'm just a person. The choices you make and the way affect others does not require me to react a certain way, because my behavior will not change yours. The best I can do is give you the space and the forum to say whatever you need to, even if it is hurtful and unnecessary, so you can process whatever you're feeling. Anyway, carry on!

You can call me Vik or Vicky if you feel so inclined. I'm 26, working full time as a public health nurse and going to grad school. My passions are health equity, mental health, and Asian American culture - as a Filipino American, I highly value being close to my roots. Most of my "free" time isn't really free, since it goes into studying and being an active member of my community.

However, I will admit to being an active fanfiction writer and RP'er. It's my escape from the insanity of working with the people I work with. I work with children and families who are in a very rough place in their lives, often dealing with mental health and addiction issues. Caring and helping on a daily basis is extremely rewarding, but also extremely tiring. Writing is my escape.

I currently help run an X-Men movieverse RP forum that has been up and running since 2006, so if that's your cup of tea, let's talk!

Tumblr account for additional media (manips, banners, fanmixes, etc.) is la-vik-ffn