Not only is today special for me because it was the day I was born, but it's also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It was created by the United Nations in 1981, designed to educate the masses of the abuse women face from domestic, to rape. Just letting y'all know :).
My gorgeous friend wanted to inspire me today, she wanted me to think about today as the first day of a career in living happily ever after. So she sent me this poem called Ithaka (a Greek island), and I wanted to share :).
As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
angry Poseidon-don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
angry Poseidon-don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
wild Poseidon-you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
wild Poseidon-you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time;
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind-
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind-
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.
to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.
Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you are destined for.
But do not hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you are old by the time you reach the island,
Better if it lasts for years,
so you are old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.
Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
Without her you would not have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
The poem was written by Constantine P. Cavafy and all pictures were taken from deviantart.com. It brightened my day I hope it does yours as well :)
<3
10 comments:
the pictures are awesome
Nice pics, deviant art is awesome!
May Allah grant you many more beneficial years! Ameen =)
Happy birthday!
Happy (belated) birthday! :)
and i love the picture of the old man.
Happy Birthday to you!
Ohh Happy Birthday!! =)
happy birthday!!! :D
aww i lov the pic of the old man and happy birthdayyyyyyyy
yay me and CA had BC
Happy Birthday! Sorry I am late.
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