The book I will read for the rest of my life.
After a recap of the books I completed in 2021, this book stood out to me.
Why?
Because I read a page every day for 365 days.
It has had a profound effect on me, so much so that I have picked it up again this year and yet again find myself committing to starting my day with an entry from this book.
To have meditations on wisdom, perseverance and the art of living broken down into such manageable pieces is a gift.
To start my day with insights that seem to cut through the confusion that life and its moments provide has been wonderful.
To take time each day and be intentional with how I spend that moment trying to consume, ponder and learn from these teachings — truly being present in that moment have been some of the most special moments for me.
That is why I want to keep re-reading this book for the rest of my life. To even understand a small portion of all the points expressed and try to live my life with those in consideration I will be a better version of myself.
The structure of the book is broken into three main sections.
- Perception
- Action
- Will
With each month serving as a subheading
January — Clarity
February — Passions and Emotions
March — Awareness
April — Unbiased Thought
May — Right Action
June — Problem Solving
July — Duty
August — Pragmatism
September — Fortitude and Resilience
October — Virtue and Kindness
November — Acceptance / Amor Fati
and my personal favourite
December — Meditation on Mortality
The book feels so well-thought-out and flows well.
Personally, I have had difficulty with the language and the way certain philosophy is written — yet each page starts with a quote, meditation or observation that may seem abstract.
However, is quickly followed up with an explanation and a small breakdown of the point.
Perhaps a common misconception I encounter when I discuss philosophy in my personal life is that it's only something that only applies to people who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago.
I believe it to be practical wisdom that has survived the test of time.
I find it extremely interesting that people seem to think that our society is so far advanced ahead of people who lived in the past that it is difficult to draw similarities between the two.
Yet our society experiences so many of the same things — life, death, grief, aspiration, greed, lust, ego, war, famine and disease.
The Stoics were people who didn't just ponder these difficult thoughts in life they were contributing members of society, they worked, had families and experienced the highs and lows that life can offer.
I wish to leave you with a meditation that has helped set an intention of mine for the rest of my life.
“What is your vocation? To be a good person”
— Marcus Aurelius.
