“
Today passes and never returns, and although tomorrow comes, it is no longer today. This year passes and never returns, and although there is next year, it is no longer this year. And so the days of Nature are steadily lengthened or unrolled, while the days of my life are daily shortened, and outside the thirty-six thousand mornings, time does not belong to me. The years of Nature are steadily unrolled, while the years of my life become steadily shortened, and beyond a hundred, they do not belong to me. Furthermore, the so-called ‘hundred’ and the so-called ‘thirty-six thousand’ in life are not always as we wish them to be, and among the days and years, most are passed in bad weather and sorrow and worry and running about. How many moments are there when the day is beautiful and the company enjoyable, when the moon and the wind are good and our heart is at ease and our spirit happy, when there is music and song and wine and we can enjoy ourselves and while away the hours!
”
”