What's your reason to live?
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From The Daily Stoic today:
It’s one of the darkest and most sensitive subjects in Stoicism: Suicide. Cato took his own life rather than submit to Caesar. Seneca took his, under duress from Nero. The Stoics spoke of suicide as the “open door,” a choice open to us all at any moment.
Given the tyrants, the evil, the slavery and the torture that the Stoics faced in their day, their contemplation of suicide makes sense. Here in the modern world—in the time of a pandemic and economic uncertainty that has depression rates spiking—it is worth taking a moment to remind ourselves that this is a subject not to be taken lightly or to be flippantly cavalier about. The Stoics may have believed that suicide was a choice we all have, but they were still pretty clear: It’s the wrong choice.
Marcus Aurelius was clearly depressive by nature. He was wracked by constant pain. He dealt with profound tragedy (no one should bury a child). He had incredible burdens on his shoulders. And yet? He stuck around. He struggled through. Because he knew that life was worth it. He knew there was darkness ahead—he’d seen plenty of it—but he also knew that there would be bright spots ahead as well. Bright spots that broke up and blunted the darkness.
He probably would have also agreed with the classic observation from Hamlet:
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
It’s the perfect Stoic logic applied to a sensitive topic: What makes you so sure that what’s on the other side is a relief? Sure, science and religion give us hints...but no assurances. Marcus reminds himself in Meditations to push through his pain because it will either end, or he will. He knew it was arrogant to assume that he could find a way around it. He knew that to mess with fate was to potentially invite a worse fate.
So he stuck around. He did the best he could. Which is all we can do. Which is what we have to do. You. Me. Everyone. No one is saying life is perfect, we’re just suggesting a little humility in the form of surrender to the uncomfortable realities of life.
Don’t fly off to something worse. Bear what you can now. Because you can bear it. We know you can.
It’s one of the darkest and most sensitive subjects in Stoicism: Suicide. Cato took his own life rather than submit to Caesar. Seneca took his, under duress from Nero. The Stoics spoke of suicide as the “open door,” a choice open to us all at any moment.
Given the tyrants, the evil, the slavery and the torture that the Stoics faced in their day, their contemplation of suicide makes sense. Here in the modern world—in the time of a pandemic and economic uncertainty that has depression rates spiking—it is worth taking a moment to remind ourselves that this is a subject not to be taken lightly or to be flippantly cavalier about. The Stoics may have believed that suicide was a choice we all have, but they were still pretty clear: It’s the wrong choice.
Marcus Aurelius was clearly depressive by nature. He was wracked by constant pain. He dealt with profound tragedy (no one should bury a child). He had incredible burdens on his shoulders. And yet? He stuck around. He struggled through. Because he knew that life was worth it. He knew there was darkness ahead—he’d seen plenty of it—but he also knew that there would be bright spots ahead as well. Bright spots that broke up and blunted the darkness.
He probably would have also agreed with the classic observation from Hamlet:
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
It’s the perfect Stoic logic applied to a sensitive topic: What makes you so sure that what’s on the other side is a relief? Sure, science and religion give us hints...but no assurances. Marcus reminds himself in Meditations to push through his pain because it will either end, or he will. He knew it was arrogant to assume that he could find a way around it. He knew that to mess with fate was to potentially invite a worse fate.
So he stuck around. He did the best he could. Which is all we can do. Which is what we have to do. You. Me. Everyone. No one is saying life is perfect, we’re just suggesting a little humility in the form of surrender to the uncomfortable realities of life.
Don’t fly off to something worse. Bear what you can now. Because you can bear it. We know you can.
I have 3 at the moment but there are others too. for now:
1) dandelions
2) extraterrestrial thoughts (of)
3) albatrosses
4) sharing thoughts of proactivity…
oops sorry that’s one too many, or is it?
and i must not forget one of my favorite one word poems…
Meow (i did not write that one but love it)
1) dandelions
2) extraterrestrial thoughts (of)
3) albatrosses
4) sharing thoughts of proactivity…
oops sorry that’s one too many, or is it?
and i must not forget one of my favorite one word poems…
Meow (i did not write that one but love it)
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A really difficult question. Reasons to live? My current frame of mind is that I live to serve. There are other paths in which my life could take me but only if I am prepared to leave everything related to my current life behind. I guess I’m not prepared to do that, to leave my kids, husband, parents, brother, sister, my job. They are what holds me here but they are what makes life unmanageable most of the time.
The alternative path is one where I leave everything I know behind me and make my way totally on my own. Move country, start over with a new name and as a new person, a fresh start. It’s a fantasy dream which will never happen and let’s face it life has a habit of finding you, it doesn’t matter how far you run or how much you try to hide. It always comes back to bite you.
The alternative path is one where I leave everything I know behind me and make my way totally on my own. Move country, start over with a new name and as a new person, a fresh start. It’s a fantasy dream which will never happen and let’s face it life has a habit of finding you, it doesn’t matter how far you run or how much you try to hide. It always comes back to bite you.
from Lonelyhiker....
It’s one of the darkest and most sensitive subjects in Stoicism: Suicide.............................................................
Given the tyrants, the evil, the slavery and the torture that the Stoics faced in their day, their contemplation of suicide makes sense. Here in the modern world—in the time of a pandemic and economic uncertainty that has depression rates spiking—it is worth taking a moment to remind ourselves that this is a subject not to be taken lightly or to be flippantly cavalier about. The Stoics may have believed that suicide was a choice we all have, but they were still pretty clear: It’s the wrong choice........................................................................................
...........................................So he stuck around. He did the best he could. Which is all we can do. Which is what we have to do. You. Me. Everyone. No one is saying life is perfect, we’re just suggesting a little humility in the form of surrender to the uncomfortable realities of life.
Don’t fly off to something worse. Bear what you can now.
Today I'll hold with thoughts from the above.
It’s one of the darkest and most sensitive subjects in Stoicism: Suicide.............................................................
Given the tyrants, the evil, the slavery and the torture that the Stoics faced in their day, their contemplation of suicide makes sense. Here in the modern world—in the time of a pandemic and economic uncertainty that has depression rates spiking—it is worth taking a moment to remind ourselves that this is a subject not to be taken lightly or to be flippantly cavalier about. The Stoics may have believed that suicide was a choice we all have, but they were still pretty clear: It’s the wrong choice........................................................................................
...........................................So he stuck around. He did the best he could. Which is all we can do. Which is what we have to do. You. Me. Everyone. No one is saying life is perfect, we’re just suggesting a little humility in the form of surrender to the uncomfortable realities of life.
Don’t fly off to something worse. Bear what you can now.
Today I'll hold with thoughts from the above.
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@LonelyHiker
p.s. I know you aren't around right now. I miss hearing from you. I see you traveling and hiking and feeling better and having some good moments, days, times; alone and with family.
p.s. I know you aren't around right now. I miss hearing from you. I see you traveling and hiking and feeling better and having some good moments, days, times; alone and with family.
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There are many things that make me question if life is worth to be lived. It often is very hard, tiring for me, also disappointing and seems senseless.
But what keeps me going is my curiosity and the possibilities I (could) have. As long as I haven't tried everything there is and haven't met every single person, it would be a waste to give up. This is my main reason.
But there also are some minor things I like about life: laughing with no end in sight (also to chuckle), helping others and making their days brighter and giving them strength in bad times, learning new things, teaching other people new things, sharing experiences in general.
Learning to laugh about yourself and every absurd situation, life is throwing at you also helps tremendously - taking it not so seriously mostly helps as well and being able to come to terms with problems through some kind of "art"
But what keeps me going is my curiosity and the possibilities I (could) have. As long as I haven't tried everything there is and haven't met every single person, it would be a waste to give up. This is my main reason.
But there also are some minor things I like about life: laughing with no end in sight (also to chuckle), helping others and making their days brighter and giving them strength in bad times, learning new things, teaching other people new things, sharing experiences in general.
Learning to laugh about yourself and every absurd situation, life is throwing at you also helps tremendously - taking it not so seriously mostly helps as well and being able to come to terms with problems through some kind of "art"
• my almost 11-year-old Maine Coon × kitty named Abby
• music
• figure skating
• my friend that's known me forever
• nature
• seeing places I haven't yet seen
• owning a dog one day
• continuing to learn & become a better version of me
• reading good books that I haven't yet
• cooking
• ???
Mosaic Hearts
• music
• figure skating
• my friend that's known me forever
• nature
• seeing places I haven't yet seen
• owning a dog one day
• continuing to learn & become a better version of me
• reading good books that I haven't yet
• cooking
• ???
Mosaic Hearts
