In Buddhism, and especially the Mahayana, "desire" itself is not necessarily "all bad" ... provided we (1) learn to distinguish the wholesome from the harmful (the Precepts are a helpful guide), (2) learn moderation and balance in even our wholesome desires (lest they become harmful by excess), and (3) learn "non-attachment" to outcomes should our desires be unfulfilled.
As well, our Zen practice teaches us that we can live by seemingly contradictory "modes" and viewpoints at once, simultaneously, without conflict (similar to how I sometimes speak about "
acceptance without acceptance", thus we might speak of "
desire without desire" or "
preferences without preferences"). So, for example, we can have a desire for event X, and even feel some moderate sadness or disappointment should X not occur (for example, if "X" were to represent the desire that someone we love not die or leave us, and the person does die or leave us. Some grief might be natural and not to be pushed away). But, at the same time as feeling that moderate, natural, human sadness, grief or disappointment at loss ... we could also know simultaneously another state, completely without resistance and with total acceptance, in which we fully accept, embrace and are at one with whatever occurs X, Y or Z, no preferences.
Got my point? All at once, not two.