Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: To desire things impossible is the part…
To desire things impossible is the part of a mad man. But it is a thing impossible, that wicked man should not commit some such things. Neither doth anything happen to any man, which in the ordinary course of nature as natural unto him doth not happen.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Wanting people never to behave badly is wanting the impossible. Some people will lie, disappoint you, act selfishly, or misunderstand what is obvious. This does not make their actions acceptable. It means your surprise at human imperfection should not become a second source of suffering.
Set boundaries. Report wrongdoing. Leave harmful situations when you can. But do not spend your energy demanding that difficult people become reasonable before you regain your peace. Their character is their work. Your response is yours.
This is especially useful when you deal with a chronically rude coworker or a family member who repeats the same pattern. Expect the pattern, prepare your response, and stop taking it as a personal cosmic insult. Today, replace the question Why are they like this? with What is the wise next move for me? That shift returns power to where it belongs.
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