Happy the man

So just how should I use my maiden blog? A rambling discourse on quantum possibilities; a general moan at the state of the world and the myopia of its leaders; or perhaps I should write of my blinding headache following last night's excesses: why do birthday celebrations always leave one feeling so old?

Let's park such thoughts for now, for surely they will be a reoccurring theme come a different time. The rather pompous and ambitious objective of something wonderful dot org is to explore what it is to be human. Being one of life's malcontents, I often languish in a pit of my own despair. In such times I try to alleviate my malaise through various techniques: music, the familiar smile of a trusted friend, or the wise and insightful words of others who seem to inject a simple truth into the business of living.

I want to thank Sara for introducing me to this poem by John Dryden. Writing in the mid to late 17th century, its interesting to note that Dryden's words regarding personal happiness and contentment are every bit as relevant today as three hundred years ago. Every generation spawns countless minds with a common pre-occupation, and happy the man indeed who knows how to live today.

I strive to make some small measure of progress towards this lofty but edifying aim.

Happy the man, and happy he alone,
Who today can call his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair or foul or rain or shine
The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine.
Not Heaven itself upon the past has power
For what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.