(Note: very good prose, hats off to Zhi Lao here. Posted below is something I wrote in early September)

Today is my son's birthday, as well as millions of others'. Here is my advice to Sam, and Sarah and Stephanie.

Feel the heavenly melodies. Our cosmos is sounding with harmonic strings at the deepest microcosmic level. Our cosmos is replete with constantly dancing galaxies at the grandest macrocosmic scale. In between, we breathe to follow the rhythmic tune of our heartbeat. We are star-gazers, grass-grazers, and mostly meat-eaters. Above all, we are musicians born to declare the splendid glory of our Creator. Feel the music in the air, like August Rush. Feel the hoofbeat of the changing seasons. Feel the distinctive chirps and coos of birds. Feel the ruffling along the path of a treetop-climbing squirrel. Feel the tiny local hurricanes produced by a fluttering butterfly. Feel the unfolding of the petals in a wild flower. Feel the dirt-cracking of a new bamboo shoot. Feel the brushing strokes of chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins in mother nature's photoshop. Feel the huffing and puffing of a gusty wind, or the bemoaning of a breeze. Feel the moonlight echoing the sunshine. Feel the shooting stars, God's fireworks. Feel the pulsating of life's happenings inside and outside. Feel your own sixth sense. Feel God. Compose new music with your own life-sized notes.

Feel the numbers and curves. Remodel and sharpen your sense of math. This world is short-sighted and tunnel-visioned, seeing numbers printed on the paycheck, and curves sported by beauties skin-deep. Go beyond that. This is God's world. God is the unrivaled mathematician. Think after His thoughts. Mind His games. Feel numbers and curves that do tango together. Paint your own artworks with numbers and curves in life's whatever vocation.

Feel the pain. Feel the pain of the victimized, the short-changed, the vilified, the abused, the handicapped, the disadvantaged, and the underprivileged. Feel the holy pain on the Cross. Feel the compassionate pain inside you to extend a helping hand. In a world of getting even or getting more, hunker down as an altruist and peacemaker.

The world will be a better place because of what you do as advised.