david and caroline's escapades through books, love, and life: You say happy. I say Birthday.

So, another year of life has been lived, and I suffice to say that it has been an unusual and eventful year. I have heard that some things change, and some things stay the same. I think a more honest rendition would be something along the lines of "Everything changes, and nothing stays the same." I suppose it is merely life trying to keep us from becoming bored. Apathy, the beast that it is, manages to creep up behind me frequently enough, nonetheless.

This American ideal and dream is sickening, shallow, ironic, and mundane at best. The immaturity of people is disappointing and depressing. My first inclination is to say "college students". But I've realized that I thought this when I was in middle school about middle schoolers, and in high school about high schoolers, and now in college about college students. Discussions with those who are older, (and wiser??) confirm that in your upper 20's, in your 30's, and 40's people are still ravaged by this disease. What is the cure? I'm not sure...perhaps its incurable. I think a concoction of reality, honesty, humour, and irony would be a good place to start. To stay true to oneself, to seek happiness, and I think this quote sums it up...

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

-Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some pictures from my birthday...

Blowing out candles in North Carolina...

With the family in NC...(hehe, I find their expressions pretty priceless. I'm not sure what herbs they had taken that day, something was a little funky)