What is the state of things, then? It is this: I do not regard a man as poor, if the little which remains is enough for him.
I advise you, however, to keep what is really yours; and you cannot begin too early. For, as our ancestors believed, it is too late to spare when you reach the dregs of the cask. Of that which remains at the bottom, the amount is slight, and the quality is vile. Farewell.
How much is enough? Far less than I might think, and to be found in rather different places than I might think.
I may be inclined to believe that I must have more of everything, an ever-increasing breadth of quantity, and I will overlook the fact that sufficiency comes from just a smidgeon of what is complete in itself, a thorough depth of quality.
I may also be inclined to believe that it all comes from the outside, from what I demand to receive, and I will overlook the fact that true merit comes from the inside, from what I am willing to give.
What the world says is magnificent is actually quite paltry, and what the world says is impoverished is actually quite rich.
If I wish to satisfy my vanity, no amount of pleasures, or possessions, or honors will ever do the trick. The very nature of greed is that it is always hungry, and the very nature of lust is that it always demands another go. Right there is one of the major causes of anxiety, jealousy, and resentment.
If, however, I wish to become a decent man, and so also a happy man, I don’t have to look anywhere else than to what is already mine. I have the option of mastering my own thoughts and my own choices, and thereby to be myself, as Nature intended.
As my young sister-in-law once said, when I asked her if she was getting too bored on a long drive from New Orleans to San Antonio, “No, I’m okay! I’m a portable self-entertaining unit!”
But I do not have endless options to make something of myself. My time is limited, perhaps more so than I might think. As the years pass, the window of opportunity narrows. The old and crusty habits become more difficult to break, the weakness in my bones means that I can do far less, and the hardness of my heart resists any softening. The time is right now, before it is too late.
Maybe I can put it all off until tomorrow? How do I know that I will have a tomorrow? Now is the time, the only time I have.
I advise you, however, to keep what is really yours; and you cannot begin too early. For, as our ancestors believed, it is too late to spare when you reach the dregs of the cask. Of that which remains at the bottom, the amount is slight, and the quality is vile. Farewell.
How much is enough? Far less than I might think, and to be found in rather different places than I might think.
I may be inclined to believe that I must have more of everything, an ever-increasing breadth of quantity, and I will overlook the fact that sufficiency comes from just a smidgeon of what is complete in itself, a thorough depth of quality.
I may also be inclined to believe that it all comes from the outside, from what I demand to receive, and I will overlook the fact that true merit comes from the inside, from what I am willing to give.
What the world says is magnificent is actually quite paltry, and what the world says is impoverished is actually quite rich.
If I wish to satisfy my vanity, no amount of pleasures, or possessions, or honors will ever do the trick. The very nature of greed is that it is always hungry, and the very nature of lust is that it always demands another go. Right there is one of the major causes of anxiety, jealousy, and resentment.
If, however, I wish to become a decent man, and so also a happy man, I don’t have to look anywhere else than to what is already mine. I have the option of mastering my own thoughts and my own choices, and thereby to be myself, as Nature intended.
As my young sister-in-law once said, when I asked her if she was getting too bored on a long drive from New Orleans to San Antonio, “No, I’m okay! I’m a portable self-entertaining unit!”
But I do not have endless options to make something of myself. My time is limited, perhaps more so than I might think. As the years pass, the window of opportunity narrows. The old and crusty habits become more difficult to break, the weakness in my bones means that I can do far less, and the hardness of my heart resists any softening. The time is right now, before it is too late.
Maybe I can put it all off until tomorrow? How do I know that I will have a tomorrow? Now is the time, the only time I have.
Written in 5/2000
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI've been struggling with the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius some time now, but the chapter by chapter commentary has helped me tremendously.
So I was wondering if more paragraph by paragraph commentary will be posted as well for Seneca's moral letters.
Thank you so much, you're truly an inspiration.
Yes, the intention is to post reflections for the full run of Seneca's Moral Letters. It may take some time, but they will hopefully all be completed at some point. I am very glad you are finding them to be of some use!
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