Epictetus Enchiridion
Epictetus: Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not…
Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose. Say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else, but not to yourself.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of the Enchiridion. The reading beside it is ours.
An injury can limit your movement. Illness can change your plans. Neither automatically determines whether you respond with dignity, bitterness, courage, or care. That is Epictetus's point: a physical obstacle is real, but it does not reach all the way into the faculty that chooses. This should never be used to minimize pain or deny the need for treatment, help, or accommodation. The body deserves care. Still, even in constrained circumstances, there remains a question that belongs to you: What kind of person will I be here? A chronic condition may hinder your schedule, but not your honesty. A rejection may hinder your ambition, but not your willingness to try again. When something blocks you, identify exactly what it blocks. Then identify what it leaves untouched. Often, the most important part of you is still available for use.
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