Aristotle's wisdom

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”

Cakes, Jeans, Opera and Calls

Those are list of birthday gift I received (so far).

Its great that friends from office and social group get me cakes. Somehow both groups get me the same cake (but on different day thanksfully, otherwise my weight would have swollen).

Interestestingly some groups of friends thought I was too serious (am I?) and get me a jeans (I did not have any before that).

The other know about my fascination with classical music (and most things classical actually) and get me a great CD collection of operas.

Some who are far away made time to send me text message or calls.

George Santayana said that one's friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.

Very true indeed. Thanks again (even if you did not get me any gift, it is the thought that count)

A Song of Joys

by Walt Whitman

....

O the joy a manly self-hood!
To be servile to none, to defer to none, not to any tyrant known or unknown,
To walk with erect carriage, a step springy and elastic,
To look with calm gaze or with a flashing eye,
To speak with a full and sonorous voice out of a broad chest,
To confront with your personality all the other personalities of the earth.

...

O while I live to be the ruler of life, not a slave,
To meet life as a powerful conqueror,
No fumes, no ennui, no more complaints or scornful criticisms,
To these proud laws of the air, the water and the ground, proving
my interior soul impregnable,
And nothing exterior shall ever take command of me.

...

O to struggle against great odds, to meet enemies undaunted!
To be entirely alone with them, to find how much one can stand!
To look strife, torture, prison, popular odium, face to face!
To mount the scaffold, to advance to the muzzles of guns with
perfect nonchalance!

...

O to have life henceforth a poem of new joys!
To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on!
To be a sailor of the world bound for all ports.