That Mystery Floating Alongside

-
Image
  “The side of the ship made an opaque belt of shadow on the darkling glassy shimmer of the sea. But I saw at once something elongated and pale floating very close to the ladder. Before I could form a guess a faint flash of phosphorescent light, which seemed to issue suddenly from the naked body of a man, flickered in the sleeping water with the elusive, silent play of summer lightning in a night sky. With a gasp I saw revealed to my stare a pair of feet, the long legs, a broad livid back immersed right up to the neck in a greenish cadaverous glow. One hand, awash, clutched the bottom rung of the ladder. He was complete but for the head. A headless corpse! The cigar dropped out of my gaping mouth with a tiny plop and a short hiss quite audible in the absolute stillness of all things under heaven. At that I suppose he raised up his face, a dimly pale oval in the shadow of the ship’s side. But even then I could only barely make out down there the shape of his black-haired head. Howev...

The Art Of Living

-
“The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, because an artful life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and unexpected attacks.” (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations)

I am occasionally met with a greeting that often includes "how's life?" and, as much as I try to have a ready answer, I find myself delving much deeper to a meaningful answer. The best answer I've found is one word: "abundant." Life is full of both good and bad, of both delight and depression, of feasting and famine, of dancing and wrestling. And most often I find there is more wrestling than dancing. Regardless, my answer is summative. 

The Emperor is keen to indicate how the skill, the application and expression of existence is more like wrestling than dancing because of the unexpected nature of what is outside our control. He does not say there is no dancing and all life is a battlefield; rather he holds that living well is tough but it is not without rewards. 

"The measure of the moment
Is a difference of degree
Just one little victory
A spirit breaking free
One little victory
The greatest act can be
One little victory"  (Rush, "One Little Victory")

Think of it: withstanding and persevering through a tough time leads to a measure of victory, but it's victory nonetheless. And victory can be celebrated with dancing! But there must first be preparation, training for this is what builds endurance, perseverance. Companionship helps! Strength in numbers!

Everything in it's due time. 

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Me, Epictetus!

-
Image
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8 
Read more

The Smooth-flowing Life

-
Image
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
Read more