Notes on Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations
A Sonnet by Jeffrey Rosen1
Four habits of thought to erase from your mind:
This thought is unnecessary or destructive
This isn’t what you truly think; you find
Your mortal makes your divine part unproductive
Work for three things: proper understanding;
Unselfish action and truthful speech
And if you find yourself in a crash landing
Accept it calmly, as the sages teach
Do the work with patience and industry
Find fulfillment in what you’re doing now
Free from fear or hope of publicity
Your life will be happy if all your words are true
Life is short, and that’s all there is to say
Unrestrained moderation: the only way
This speaks to me. To me, it is a reminder to avoid distracting thoughts, prize the truth, and always contemplate the divine.2 Be unselfish and truthful. If adversity befalls you accept it calmly. Be patient and always humble. Telling the truth brings happiness. Maintain moderation in speech and action at all times.
I would do well to read this every day, of course, I never read what I write, and that’s probably not a good thing. I might learn to write better if I did…
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