Life on life’s term

Chapter XXVI, Enchiridion

The will of nature may be learned from things upon which we are all agreed. As when our neighbor’s boy has broken a cup, or the like, we are ready at once to say, “These are casualties that will happen”; be assured, then, that when your own cup is likewise broken, you ought to be affected just as when another’s cup was broken. Now apply this to greater things. Is the child or wife of another dead? There is no one who would not say, “This is an accident of mortality.” But if anyone’s own child happens to die, it is immediately, “Alas! how wretched am I!” It should be always remembered how we are affected on hearing the same thing concerning others.

Thoughts

a. Acceptance of life on life’s terms.

b. Your reaction to a misfortune that occurs should be identical to your attitude and behaviours when the same event happens to an acquaintance. This includes great misfortunes like death, severe illness or accidents.

c. Accept life events as these things occur. Try not develop the “poor me syndrome”. You are not being victimised by the Gods and showered with bad luck.

d. Difficult for people to accept, “This is an accident of mortality.” , when it is the death of a family member. The stoic suggests that we must accept death as part of life. While it is ok to grieve and be sad, ultimately, we are not being victimised as it is just life. So it is our attitude to death that causes the pain, not the event itself.

e. Epictetus suggests that we should ask ourselves what would our reaction be if this misfortune befell an other person? Why then should our reaction differ if it befalls us?

f. Are our beliefs, attitudes and reactions consistent to life’s events?

g. Avoid being sorry for yourself, “Alas! how wretched am I!”