Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: The next, that all these things, which…
The next, that all these things, which now thou seest, shall within a very little while be changed, and be no more: and ever call to mind, how many changes and alterations in the world thou thyself hast already been an eyewitness of in thy time. This world is mere change, and this life, opinion.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Everything around you is in motion: jobs, bodies, friendships, trends, cities, and the stories people tell about themselves. That can sound unsettling, but it is also a relief. The embarrassment that feels permanent will pass. The success you are clinging to will change too. Marcus’s point is not that nothing matters; it is that treating temporary conditions as absolute truths creates suffering. We suffer because we decide a bad season defines our life, or because we demand that a good season never end. Notice how much has already changed since last year. Notice how many problems you survived that once seemed final. Today, loosen your grip on one passing circumstance. Meet it as a visitor, not as the permanent ruler of your peace.
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