My friend Sunni wonders whether serenity and passion co-exist in the philosophy of Epicurus. Heck, no! Epicurus is all about ataraxia (lack of disturbance). If you want passion, you need to look to some other thinker. My personal philosophy of life is a gumbo of Daoism, Epicurus, Rand, Aristotle, and Nietzsche (with a healthy dose of Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman thrown in for good American measure). Who says you need to find your complete worldview in only one philosopher?