Stoicism for a Better Life – Weekly exercise (May 1, 2019)

Hello there,

This week for our guidance, let us look at the Moral Letters of Seneca – LXIII 7:

“Fortune has taken away, but Fortune has given. Let us greedily enjoy our friends, because we do not know how long this privilege will be ours.”

Fortune or Fate is the sum-total of all the things that we do not control in life (which is a lot!). Fortune does not favour anyone above another and she gives and takes at will according to her universal reason. Everything that is external to our internal judgments and intentions are in the domain of fate and fortune. We may be able to influence some things to a slight degree or another, but ultimately it is up to fate to determine how long we have said “things”.

Friends and family (those we love the most) are no different, and are ultimately on loan to us. Whether it is ourselves that will leave the bodily earth, or others, or whether it is circumstances that will drive us apart, we will one day, very soon, be separated from those we love. So this week take conscious note of those you love, and make a point to enjoy your time with them now…pay more attention to them. Don’t forget that you, and your time with them, are dying and passing. So enjoy it now.

Good luck to all this week, and as usual, share your stories if you feel like it (many get inspiration from just reading about others’ journeys).

Much love

Anderson Silver

(Author of “Your User’s Manual” and “Vol 2: Your Duality Within”