I like you and I know why.
I like you because you are a good person to like.
I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it's special
And you remember it a long, long time.
You say, Remember when you told me something special
And both of us remember

When I think something is important
you think it's important too
We have good ideas
When I say something funny, you laugh
I think I'm funny and you think I'm funny too
Hah-hah!
I like you because you know where I'm ticklish
And you don't tickle me there except just a little tiny bit sometimes
But if you do, then I know where to tickle you too
You know how to be silly
That's why I like you
Boy are you ever silly
I never met anybody sillier than me till I met you
I like you because you know when it's time to stop being silly
Maybe day after tomorrow
Maybe never
Too late, it's a quarter past silly
Sometimes we don't say a word
We snurkle under fences
We spy secret places
If I am a goofus on the roofus hollering my head off
You are one too
If I pretend I am drowning, you pretend you are saving me
If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag,
then you are getting ready to jump
HOORAY

That's because you really like me
You really like me, don't you
And I really like you back
And you like me back and I like you back
And that's the way we keep on going every day

If you go away, then I go away too
or if I stay home, you send me a postcard
You don't just say Well see you around sometime, bye
I like you a lot because of that
If I go away, I send you a postcard too
And I like you because if we go away together
And if we are in Grand Central Station
And if I get lost
Then you are the one that is yelling for me

And I like you because when I am feeling sad
You don't always cheer me up right away
Sometimes it is better to be sad
You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute
You want to think about things
It takes time

I like you because if I am mad at you
Then you are mad at me too
It's awful when the other person isn't
They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about punch them in the nose

I like you because if I think I am going to throw up
then you are really sorry
You don't just pretend you are busy looking at the birdies and all that
You say, maybe it was something you ate
You say, the same thing happened to me one time
And the same thing did

If you find two four-leaf clovers, you give me one
If I find four, I give you two
If we only find three, we keep on looking
Sometimes we have good luck, and sometimes we don't

If I break my arm, and if you break your arm too
Then it's fun to have a broken arm
I tell you about mine, you tell me about yours
We are both sorry
We write our names and draw pictures
We show everybody and they wish they had a broken arm too

I like you because I don't know why but
Everything that happens is nicer with you
I can't remember when I didn't like you
It must have been lonesome then

I like you because because because
I forget why I like you but I do
So many reasons
On the 4th of July I like you because it's the 4th of July
On the fifth of July, I like you too
If you and I had some drums and some horns and some horses
If we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines
We could be a HOLIDAY
We could be a CELEBRATION
We could be a WHOLE PARADE
See what I mean?

Even if it was the 999th of July
Even if it was August
Even if it was way down at the bottom of November
Even if it was no place particular in January
I would go on choosing you
And you would go on choosing me
Over and over again
That's how it would happen every time
I don't know why
I guess I don't know why I really like you
Why do I like you
I guess I just like you
I guess I just like you because I like you.

 Philosophy is an interesting subject, from which innumerable streams of thought flow.  The principal goal of philosophy and hence of most philosophers is the pursuit of knowledge pertaining to the truths and principles of being, knowledge, and/or conduct.  That classifies quite a few of the eddies and whirls one would find within a life's worth of water as philosophical in nature.  Such streams have been wearily winding their way through my mind as of late.

Most of my philosophical questions and quandaries are answered through observation of my own life and those of my fellow man.  This implies, and rightly so, that there is a certain degree of inaccuracy and bias involved.  Nonetheless, it is the reality in which I live--that is if I choose to assume that any of this is real, which I do.  I both acknowledge and accept my own biases, inaccuracies, and the fact that I may later reject most, if not all, of the conclusions I reach.  I cannot let myself be paralyzed by any of the above.  I am where I am.  I am who I am.  I know what I know.  All of that could change in an instant, a decade, or not at all.  Regardless, I do my best.

As of late I've been pondering cycles.  George Santayana said, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."  This is something which plagues all men.  Too often we forget, too often we do not learn from history, too often we doom ourselves to endless repetition.  Surely when one forgets history and eventually repeats an action, he does not know the outcome (or if he knows it, is not consciously aware of it).  Indeed, the four-hundredth time a man acts in the same manner, he may have the same expectations in mind which were present during the primal action.  What does this say of man?  Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  If this is true, then man is insane.  Doubly so if he is an idealist.

I am a man and I consider myself to be an idealist.  Therefore, if the assertions stated above are true--and for the sake of argument I am assuming that they are--I am surely insane; twice over at least.  That being said, you may wish to take anything and everything I say with a grain of salt.  Though it may be harmful to your health, it will surely do wonders for your intellect.  Shall we continue?

If the whole of human of human history is cyclical, then I would assume that such patterns should be evident upon review.  Rosenstock-Huessy, Frederick Nietzsche, and many other philosophers throughout history have opined that such cycles are very much present for the conscious observer to see.  Though they may disagree on the details of the cycles, they agree that they are present.  After reflection on the subject, one may think to consider this principle true on an individual level as well.  For each man, woman, and child there is a pattern to life; landmarks on a journey that all must pass.  One is begotten, one begets others (or does not), and eventually one dies.  True, this is an overly simplified model, but it can clearly be seen as a model that applies almost completely across the whole of humanity.  Within such an example, one will find many smaller cycles and patterns which may be common to all men or just the individual.  Or at least this seems to be the case in my life.

                                                                    *          *          *

I struggle with depression, idealism, and a slew of other issues on a regular basis.  As such, I often find myself going through seasons of joy and seasons of sorrow.  I have found myself in a season of sorrow for quite some time now.  I have been filled with confusion, anger, and a sense of longing after God while simultaneously avoiding Him.  That is changing, has changed, and, given time, will change again.  I now find myself in a season of joy or, if not joy, then at least of contentment.  It is a pleasurable place to pass the time.  I've heard such a season referred to as, "God's Smile"  How truly apt a description.

Do not mistake my words as an exclamation of all my desires having been sated nor of all my needs having been met.  A more accurate assessment would be that it is an admittance of the truth; many of my supposed needs are being revealed as nothing more than the foolish desires of a naive youth.  Along with this comes a sense of confirmation concerning my supposed needs which are still seen as such.  This could change at any moment, but for now it is quite comforting.

Life is in turns, prodigiously difficult, overwhelmingly joyous, and, at times, both.  One must learn to embrace it all and in doing so will inevitably travel through times of darkness and times of light.  Rejoice whilst in the light of God's smile and persevere in the dark times of most terrible travail.  Beauty does not cease to exist simply because man lacks the presence of mind to perceive it.