Enchiridion 8: Accept Reality As It's Given. That's How It Is.

"Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well."  (Epictetus, Enchiridion 8)



"The piece evokes the idea that, because we can never know reality beyond the surface, we need to accept the reality as we see it and put on our bravest face.

We tell stories and sing songs about the world to try to encapsulate the way we want the world to be. We like stories in which justice prevails, because we can take comfort in that. But in reality there is none of that clarity. There’s no purely sweet child. We don’t like to know it, but even in a sweet child there’s a vicious streak. But such dualities aren’t always negative: behind the oldest eyes is a soul so young. Because the surface appearance of reality is never the full story, the best we can do is accept the way the world is (there’s no magic place), so put on your bravest face and confront reality as it’s given to you. When you are presented with something good, accept it for the precious gift that it is."—Rob Freedman, Rush Vault