Marcus Aurelius: It is that, that all men have ever been…

When hardship arrives, we often react as if something unnatural has invaded our lives. Marcus gives it a different greeting: this is something every human being has faced. I see what you are now, and you may leave when your time is done. The point is not to welcome pain or pretend it is pleasant. It is to remove its theatrical power. Illness, disappointment, aging, grief, and uncertainty are not personal insults sent specifically to you. They are ancient visitors. Naming them clearly makes them less mysterious. “This is grief.” “This is fear.” “This is a setback.” Then you can respond to the actual thing rather than fighting the fact that such things exist. Today, if a difficult feeling shows up, do not argue with its arrival. Recognize it, make room for the necessary response, and remember that it is temporary. You have met its kind before.