Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 10.31

When you have seen Satyron the Socratic, think of either Eutyches or Hymen, and when you have seen Euphrates, think of Eutychion or Silvanus, and when you have seen Alciphron think of Tropaeophorus, and when you have seen Xenophon, think of Crito or Severus, and when you have looked on yourself, think of any other Caesar, and in the case of every one do in like manner.

Then let this thought be in your mind: where then are those men? Nowhere, or nobody knows where.

For thus continuously you will look at human things as smoke and nothing at all; especially if you reflect at the same time that what has once changed will never exist again in the infinite duration of time.

But you, in what a brief space of time is your existence? And why are you not content to pass through this short time in an orderly way?

What matter and opportunity for your activity are you avoiding? For what else are all these things, except exercises for the reason, when it has viewed carefully, and by examination, into their nature the things that happen in life?

Persevere then until you shall have made these things your own, as the stomach that is strengthened makes all things its own, as the blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 10.31 (tr Long)

How strange that we so value the things outside of us, when the aspects of life that are the most important are already inside of us. To learn this is a hardship for some, but a relief for others.

I am tempted to gain more for myself, even as I already possess everything I need within myself. It has all been given, and requires only to be nurtured. My mistaken assumption has long been that I become better, stronger, and happier when I increase my wealth, my pleasure, and my reputation; what I have overlooked is that I rather become better, stronger, and happier when I increase my wisdom, my virtue, and my character.

To shift my sense of priority cannot be merely cosmetic. It must be a radical transformation, not one that runs after something completely new, but rather one that rediscovers something I have sadly forgotten, the timeless dignity and beauty of our very human nature.

It hardly matters if we use Marcus Aurelius’ list of important people, or a more contemporary catalog of wheelers and dealers, because the point behind it all is that the fame and influence of this or that person is hardly so great at all.

It may seem odd to speak of just another great philosopher, or just another emperor, or just another millionaire, but in the end such attributes really add nothing to their humanity. The fame will soon fade. The influence will slip away. The life itself will be gone within an instant. What, then, could be left that makes that life worth living?

If I am committed to making my indelible mark for others to see, I will be sure to fail. If, however, I am only committed to making my thoughts and actions my own, I am certain to succeed. Even as all things in life are fleeting, my own dedication to the good within my soul remains distinctly mine. How long it lasts and how impressive it appears are quite secondary to how well it is lived.

All of these impressions and circumstances are not what make me, though I can still make much of them, in order to make something of myself. I do not need to let myself be diverted, or make excuses, or insist that the task is too difficult. All of the things that happen, however they may happen, are opportunities for me to know what is true and to love what is good. It’s as simple as that, and where I have not acted with wisdom and virtue, there any other apparent achievements have been for nothing.

The events of this life, whether they make us richer or poorer, loved or hated, pleasured or pained, are just there for us to improve our understanding and character. As the body consumes food to make itself stronger and healthier, or a fire consumes fuel to make itself hotter and brighter, so the mind consumes fortune to make itself wiser and better.

The good soul transforms whatever it comes in contact with, and makes it its own, not by claiming ownership or dominance over it, but by meeting it with an awareness of purpose and a sense of acceptance.

Written in 3/2009