“Whatever any one does or says, I must be good, just as if the gold, or the emerald, or the purple were always saying this, Whatever any one does or says, I must be emerald and keep my color.”–Marcus Aurelius Meditations Book 7
Whenever I need straightforward Stoic guidance, I turn to Marcus Aurelius. Continue reading
“A Prayer of the Athenians: ‘Rain, rain, O dear Zeus, down on the ploughed fields of the Athenians and on the plains.’- In truth we ought not to pray at all, or we ought to pray in this simple and noble fashion.” Marcus Aurelius
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“Adorn thyself with simplicity and modesty and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God.” –Marcus’ Meditations Book 7
In this case, Marcus Aurelius wants to stress to himself that to be simple and modest is best. As for the things which “lie between virtue and vice,” maybe we really don’t know it all. Maybe we don’t know the answer. We all have our judgments of right and wrong, but maybe we should stop judging, at least a little bit. Sometimes, we might just be better to just breathe…to just “be.” Don’t judge, like we always do as humans…just exist, take a breath, take several breaths. Be like the stone at the bottom of the river and let the water flow over you, and just be there and exist…not judging.
Take some time, and just be.
When you’ve mastered that, then love everything around you (especially “mankind”). Sometimes this is hard to do, no? ALL of mankind? Really, really try. Don’t hold back. Love all of mankind. All that is happening now, is meant to happen. The good, the bad, and the ugly. It is all under the auspices of the cosmos, our divine existence.
Young or old…
Be good to yourself, be good to those close, be good to those beyond (me, we, they…).