Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: It is in thy power absolutely to…
It is in thy power absolutely to exclude all manner of conceit and opinion, as concerning this matter; and by the same means, to exclude all grief and sorrow from thy soul. For as for the things and objects themselves, they of themselves have no such power, whereby to beget and force upon us any opinion at all.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Events arrive first. The story we tell about them arrives next. An unanswered email becomes disrespect. A canceled plan becomes rejection. A market drop becomes disaster. Marcus reminds us that the distressing interpretation is not embedded in the event itself. It is a judgment our mind adds, often quickly and without examination. This does not mean pain is imaginary or that terrible things do not happen. It means there is room between what occurs and the conclusion that you are ruined, insulted, or doomed. That room is where freedom lives. When something upsets you today, name the bare facts before adding commentary. “The meeting was moved.” “They disagreed with me.” “I made a mistake.” Then ask: What am I assuming? Is it true? What response would be useful? You cannot prevent every difficult event, but you can refuse to make each one a verdict on your life.
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