“If any have offended thee…second, consider what kind of men they are at table, in bed, and so forth: and particularly, under what compulsions in respect of opinions they are; and as to their acts, consider with what pride they do what they do.” Marcus Aurelius Book 11
Nobody’s perfect. Some are less perfect than others. Again, my goal as a Stoic is to be above the fray. Continue reading
“Remember these nine rules, as if thou hadst received them as a gift from the Muses, and begin at last to be a man while thou livest.” –Marcus Aurelius, Meditations Book 11
In The Meditations, Book 11, I came upon nine rules that Marcus Aurelius advised himself to follow. I found them to be thoughtful and helpful, in pondering “how to live.” Not really anything fundamental, but some things to think about.
Here’s the first of the nine: Continue reading
I am a man of action, leading with passionate equanimity, rational self-interest, and never forgetting the power of individual liberty. I will never forget that my wife is my queen, and I her king, and that my children are my gift to humanity. I will respect the dignity of all, but measure the character of each. I will honor my body and mind by taking care of them. I will light a candle in darkness.
The passage above is my creed. This is not some fancy introduction to something I read, it really is mine. I developed it over a period of years. Continue reading
On to the first part of living so I can answer “Yes” to three questions.
Why are you not having fun right now, and every day? I know I value fun. Sometimes I want to live life like it was an adventure, and other times like I was at the spa, but the real question is if I am having fun. Continue reading
From Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
