Spirituality
Ehrmann's poems are often concerned with spirituality and devotion to a higher being. For example, in "A Prayer," Ehrmann explains how his devotion to God has helped him through difficult times and has reminded him of his own inner strength. The theme of spirituality is often interlinked with other themes such as self-respect, dignity, and courage, in order to produce a form of armor against life's difficulties.
Encouragement
If Ehrmann's poems are one thing they are encouraging. Ehrmann's inspirational poems are a great source of positivity and encouragement for a person who is going through a difficult time. He writes from his own experiences, telling his readers about how to live a peaceful and content life, free from comparison and judgement.
Advice
"Desiderata" in particular contains a lot of advice about how a person should conduct themselves in life. Ehrmann reminds his readers of things they probably already know, such as: "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter." He reminds the reader to be easy on themselves and to celebrate their good traits rather than ruminate on their bad ones.
