Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: Such and such things, from such and…
Such and such things, from such and such causes, must of necessity proceed. He that would not have such things to happen, is as he that would have the fig-tree grow without any sap or moisture. In sum, remember this, that within a very little while, both thou and he shall both be dead, and after a little while more, not so much as your names and memories shall be remaining.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Causes have consequences. If you want different results, you must work with reality instead of wishing it behaved differently. A neglected relationship becomes distant. A team without clarity becomes confused. A body without rest eventually protests. Getting angry at these patterns is like being angry that a plant needs water. Marcus also adds the larger perspective: soon, both the person who upset you and the version of you that feels so wounded will be gone. This is not meant to dismiss pain. It is meant to reduce needless drama and redirect attention toward what can be repaired. Today, when something predictable goes wrong, skip the outrage for a moment. Ask what conditions produced it, what responsibility is yours, and what small cause you can change now.
Related passages
- Marcus Aurelius A black or malign disposition, an effeminate disposition; an hard inexorable disposition, a wild inhuman disposition,…
- Marcus Aurelius Attend carefully to what is said and to what follows from each deed; in action seek its aim, and in speech its meaning.
- Marcus Aurelius Four several dispositions or inclinations there be of the mind and understanding, which to be aware of, thou must…