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December 5th

THE BENEFITS OF SOBERING THOUGHTS

“Keep death and exile before your eyes each day, along with

everything that seems terrible—by doing so, you’ll never have a

base thought nor will you have excessive desire.”

—EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION, 21

olitical winds could change in an instant, depriving you of the most
basic freedoms you take for granted. Or, no matter who you are or how
safely you’ve lived your life, there’s someone out there who would rob and
kill you for a couple dollars.
As it’s written in the timeless Epic of Gilgamesh:

“Man is snapped off like a reed in the canebrake!

The comely young man, the pretty young woman—

All too soon in their prime Death abducts them!”

Death is not the only unexpected interruption we might face—our plans
can be dashed to pieces by a million things. Today might be a bit more
pleasant if you ignore those possibilities, but at what cost?