LXXXIV. How Not to Live
Never always about business.
“Even though you seize the day, it still will flee; therefore, you must vie with time’s swiftness in the speed of using it, and, as from a torrent that rushes by and will not always flow, you must drink quickly.” — Seneca
I know that life can sometimes appear bleak, hectic, monotonous. We have people depending on us to care for them, betrayals to weather, deadlines to meet, chores we hate but still have to do. But what about us? When do we get time for ourselves — to live, be, breathe, enjoy? Are we meant to work ourselves to death and just “persist and resist,” as Epictetus has rightly taught us? What does the Stoic think of beauty, of poetry, of fun, of dad jokes, of all but the rational?
Well, I want you to know there’s joy in the ordinary moments, the social opportunities available to us, the melding of elements in nature. These instances help us find hope, perspective and gain an openness that trickles down other areas of our lives for richness and depth. They bring liv…
