Fortunate

Dear reader,
there are people in the world who know no misery and woe. And they take comfort in cheerful films about twittering birds and giggling elves.

There are people who know that there's always a mystery to be solved. And they take comfort in researching and writing down any important evidence.

But this story is not about such people. This story is about the Baudelaires. And they are the sort of people who know that there's always something.
Something to invent,
something to read,
something to bite,
and something to do, to make a sanctuary, no matter how small.

And for this reason, I am happy to say, the Baudelaires were very fortunate indeed.
-- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

There is indeed always something. Something to invent, something to read, and something to bite. :)

ٌWash your heart all through...

...
رو سینه را چون سینه ها هفت آب شو از کینه ها
وآنگه شراب عشق را پیمانه شو پیمانه شو
...
آن گوشوار شاهدان هم صحبت عارض شده
آن گوش و عارض بایدت دردانه شو دردانه شو
...
اندیشه ات جایی رود وآنگه تو را آن جا کشد
ز اندیشه بگذر چون قضا پیشانه شو پیشانه شو
...

Shiverings of a leaf

...
خوابم بر بود ، خوابي ديدم: تابش آبي در خواب ، لرزش برگي در آب.
اين سو تاريكي مرگ ، آن سو زيبايي برگ. اينها چه، آنها چيست، انبوه زمان ها چيست؟
اين مي شكفد، ترس تماشا دارد. آن مي گذرد، وحشت دريا دارد.
پرتو محرابي ، مي تابي. من هيچم: پيچك خوابي. بر نرده اندوه تو مي پيچم.
...
-- سهراب

--
Image from: Flame Fractals offer a feast for the eyes

Maryam, Did you know…?

"... So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good
Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good ..."
-- (Sound of Music)

There comes times in your life when you wonder what have you ever done that made you deserve the greatness of what you are blessed with. Things that come to you, so suddenly, so strong, in moments of doubt and disbelieve, and sweep away your prejudice in a perfect way you had never imagined possible. Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have definitely done something good...!

- Photo from the 2007 AAPT High School Photo Contest

And then I don't feel so bad...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

(My Favorite Things, from the musical The Sound of Music)

Knowing...

Don't think you are, know you are!

Ringing in my ears...

...
گويم سخن را بازگو
مردي كَرم ز آغازگو

هين بي ملولي شرح كن
من سخت كُند و كودنم

گوید که آن گوش گران
بهتر ز هوش دیگران

صد فضل دارد این بر آن
کانجا هوا اینجا منم
...
-- مولوی

My great task of happiness...

If I have faltered more or less
In my great task of happiness;
If I have moved among my race
And shown no glorious morning face;
If beams from happy human eyes
Have moved me not; if morning skies,
Books, and my food, and summer rain
Knocked on my sullen heart in vain: –
Lord, Thy most pointed pleasure take
And stab my spirit broad awake;
Or, Lord, if too obdurate I,
Choose Thou, before that spirit die,
A piercing pain, a killing sin,
And to my dead heart run them in!

-- R. L. Stevenson (The Celestial Surgeon)

Hush...

...

Hush, lay down your troubled mind
The day has vanished and left us behind
And the wind, whispering soft lullabies
Will soothe, so close your weary eyes

Let your arms enfold us
Through the dark of night
Will your angels hold us
Till we see the light

Sleep, angels will watch over you
And soon beautiful dreams will come true
Can you feel spirits embracing your soul
So dream while secrets of darkness unfold
...
-- Prayer (Secret Garden)

Daddy what if...

Son: Daddy what if the sun stop shinin' what would happen then

Daddy:
If the sun stopped shinin' you'd be so surprised
You'd stare at the heavens with wide open eyes
And the wind would carry your light to the skies
And the sun would start shinin' again

Son: Daddy what if the wind stopped blowin' what would happen then

Daddy:
If the wind stopped blowin' then the land would be dry
And your boat wouldn't sail son and your kite wouldn't fly
And the grass would see your troubles and she'd tell the wind
And the wind would start blowin' again

Son: But daddy what if the grass stopped growin' what would happen then

Daddy:
If the grass stopped growin' why you'd probably cry
And the ground would be watered by the tears from your eyes
And like your love for me the grass would grow so high
Yes the grass would start growin' again

Son: But daddy what if I stopped lovin' you what would happen then

Daddy:
If you stopped lovin' me then the grass would stop growin'
The sun would stop shinin' and the wind would stop blowin'
So you see if you wanna keep this old world a goin'
You better start lovin' me again again you better start lovin' me again
You hear me Bobby you better start lovin' me again
You love me Bobby you better start lovin' me again

- Shel Silverstein (A nice clip of this poem)

The greatest thing you'll ever learn...

There was a boy...
A very strange enchanted boy.
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea,
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he.

And then one day,
One magic day, he passed my way.
And while we spoke of many things,
Fools and kings,
This he said to me,
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return."

-- Celine Dion (A New Day Has Come)