"I have now reigned about 50 years in victory or peace, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot. They amount to fourteen."
FOURTEEN?????!!!! Fourteen days of pure and genuine happiness.... I'm not sure whether Abd Er-Rahman is to be pitied or envied. After all, how many people could honestly say they've had 14 perfectly happy days in their life? On the other hand, fourteen doesn't seem like a lot out of 18,262 days! And who goes around counting things like that anyway? Do you know how many days of pure and genuine happiness you've had in your life?
Just thinking about that reminds me of a scene in the movie "City Slickers", where one of the characters makes the point that often the best day of your life is also the worst day of your life. Actually, that's also the movie where you find out what the secret of life is:
Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is?
[holds up one finger]
Curly: This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean shit.
Mitch: But, what is the "one thing?"
Curly: [smiles] That's what *you* have to find out.
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