In the same way the weaver does not make fleeces, but devotes himself to dealing with them in whatever form he receives them.
Sustenance and property are given you by Another, who can take them away from you too, yes, and your bit of a body as well.
It is for you, then, to take what is given you and make the most of it.
Then if you come off without harm, others who meet you will rejoice with you in your safety, but the man who has a good eye for conduct, if he sees that you behaved here with honor, will praise you and rejoice with you: but if he sees a man has saved his life by acting dishonorably, he will do the opposite.
For where a man can rejoice with reason, his neighbor can rejoice with him also.
Sustenance and property are given you by Another, who can take them away from you too, yes, and your bit of a body as well.
It is for you, then, to take what is given you and make the most of it.
Then if you come off without harm, others who meet you will rejoice with you in your safety, but the man who has a good eye for conduct, if he sees that you behaved here with honor, will praise you and rejoice with you: but if he sees a man has saved his life by acting dishonorably, he will do the opposite.
For where a man can rejoice with reason, his neighbor can rejoice with him also.
—from Epictetus, Discourses 2.5
I notice more and more how I initially believe that people are vexing me because they are not minding their own business, and then I have a humbling insight that my frustration comes precisely from me not minding my own business. Dare I say that Nature has a sense of humor when she teaches me her lessons?
As much as I might long to be a captain of industry, managing the whole supply chain from start to finish, what if I am simply meant to be a weaver? While I may sometimes feel the urge to become an esteemed scholar, there is just as much dignity in perusing a single line, in embracing it, and in living that little bit both thoroughly and anonymously.
More isn’t necessarily better; better is better. The value in a life is not about what we receive, but about what we choose to do with what we receive. Some things will be given, while some things will be taken away, and the liberty of leaving all of that to Providence is what makes a true responsibility for myself possible.
Much is revealed by how others react to both my windfalls and my hardships. If their praises and revelries rise or fall according to the comings and goings of Fortune, I should be wary, for, however good their intentions, they are deeply confused about the greater and the lesser. If they only wish to partake of my possessions, they will not be true friends.
In contrast, those who first look to the content of my character, regardless of which way the wind blows, will be the companions worth pursuing. They are happy for my virtues, and saddened by my vices, such that they always follow a moral compass, not the divining of a worldly prosperity. They will not fail me, as long as they cling to an essential human measure.
While there will inevitably be conflict when people are competing over prizes, there can be absolute agreement when people are cooperating toward a common end, where there is no shortage of blessings. One can share in the honor of the other, since a good man also finds joy in the good of his neighbor, and they can then celebrate together.
I notice more and more how I initially believe that people are vexing me because they are not minding their own business, and then I have a humbling insight that my frustration comes precisely from me not minding my own business. Dare I say that Nature has a sense of humor when she teaches me her lessons?
As much as I might long to be a captain of industry, managing the whole supply chain from start to finish, what if I am simply meant to be a weaver? While I may sometimes feel the urge to become an esteemed scholar, there is just as much dignity in perusing a single line, in embracing it, and in living that little bit both thoroughly and anonymously.
More isn’t necessarily better; better is better. The value in a life is not about what we receive, but about what we choose to do with what we receive. Some things will be given, while some things will be taken away, and the liberty of leaving all of that to Providence is what makes a true responsibility for myself possible.
Much is revealed by how others react to both my windfalls and my hardships. If their praises and revelries rise or fall according to the comings and goings of Fortune, I should be wary, for, however good their intentions, they are deeply confused about the greater and the lesser. If they only wish to partake of my possessions, they will not be true friends.
In contrast, those who first look to the content of my character, regardless of which way the wind blows, will be the companions worth pursuing. They are happy for my virtues, and saddened by my vices, such that they always follow a moral compass, not the divining of a worldly prosperity. They will not fail me, as long as they cling to an essential human measure.
While there will inevitably be conflict when people are competing over prizes, there can be absolute agreement when people are cooperating toward a common end, where there is no shortage of blessings. One can share in the honor of the other, since a good man also finds joy in the good of his neighbor, and they can then celebrate together.
—Reflection written in 6/2001
IMAGE: Marianne Stokes, The Weaver (1917)
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