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030 Considering Wisdom
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A weekly newsletter from BobBarnardnm.com
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Thoughts on the intersection of Society/Culture, Productivity/You, and Wisdom/Knowledge.
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Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech. Benjamin Franklin
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MY WEEK
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The highlight of my week was putting together my new desk, so I can stand more often as I work. We also had a week of rain showers and are experiencing humidity. I also had friends over for the first time to help me get my old desk out of the office, and my new desk placed and ready for work. I am trying to figure out how to pay for all the travel events over the next 13 months. Friday and Saturday, I will be in El Paso for a rotary meeting.
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our weekly wisdom
"Be content with what you are, and wish not to change, nor dread your last day, nor long for it." Marcus Aurelius
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This quote is fascinating, and when I first read it left me saying I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. I disagree because the first two phrases imply that you have no control over your life or how you think. However, the last two phrases are ok and speak to how we approach the end of our lives.
Let's take this apart a phrase at a time.
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"Be content with what you are." We don't have to be content because we have it within our power to change ourselves and how we face our situation. However, we don't have to change unless we want to and are willing to put in the required effort. Also, as you read this phrase, the question arises as to "what you are." Her Marcus Aurelius is getting into the area of Philosophy. This phrase opens the door for considering who I am, how I relate to others, and our individual and collective worth and relationships—a lot to consider.
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"Wish not to change." I think for me, the operative word here is "wish." He isn't telling us not to change. Not to wish things were different without taking action to change ourselves and our conditions. Mainly because wishes without effort can only result in stress and anxiety.
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"Nor dread your last day." Of course, each of us must come to terms with our mortality. The only certainty is that we are moving closer every day to our last day. But we don't have to approach our last day with dread or fear. Instead, we should live each day fully as if it were going to be our last.
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"Nor long for it." This phrase is tough for me as my wife died about two years ago from ALS and her quality of life during her last few months wasn't good. But I don't think she ever gave up on life. People injured or maimed in accidents or war must deal with how they will react to their loss. Life isn't over because we have a chronic situation. It is simply going to be different from now on,
We must ponder wisdom from the past and discover what it says to us today, even if we don't see it at first glance.
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Questions for the week.
- What does being content with what you are mean to you?
- What exists in your life would you like to change, and what steps will you take to make it happen?
- Do you dread your day?
Action Items
- Make a list of the things you would like to change in your life.
- Consider each of these items and list the steps you need to take to make it happen.
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