And shake the dust of vanity off our feet...

However, since the camera began to photograph this world with meticulous indifference, any kind of loftiness seems to have become impossible.

“...For this complies with nature, and what complies with nature cannot be bad,” an ancient philosopher said (although he was, naturally, a pagan). He in fact reflected on death, on how the components of life, without fearing or complaining, transform into new forms. Had he known at that time about an immortal soul, it would have been easier for him to resign to an end inevitable for all of us, but he only believed in the simple truth of nature. He believed that another, still more ancient, philosopher turned, at a pre-determined moment, into clay and material for new creatures of nature, for example, such as this dog. And one should not fear, for what is natural is not to be feared.

And when we again put on new and neat clothes and shake the dust of vanity off our feet, and only direct our thoughts to the lofty and light, cast off and ascend above all things mundane, and suddenly see a God's shameless and shaggy creature which, taking advantage of the minute of general calm, will answer this brazen dirty call of nature, ... so what? As long as we are alive and being looked at from the outside, there is still a chance for someone to smile. So let us smile, too, at least deep in our hearts (unless, of course, we represent, in the line of duty, a sponsor or the town hall).

...But do you think the beasts, who came with the Magi to bow to the divine infant, behaved more decently?!