Seneca Moral essays
Seneca: Whatever gift Fortune bestows upon a man, let…
Whatever gift Fortune bestows upon a man, let him think while he enjoys it, that it will prove as fickle as the goddess from whom it came. Snatch what pleasure you can from your children, allow your children in their turn to take pleasure in your society, and drain every pleasure to the dregs without any delay.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Seneca’s moral essays. The reading beside it is ours.
Love is not made safer by pretending it cannot be lost. Children grow up, parents age, friendships change, and good seasons end. Fortune gives generously, but it does not sign a contract. Seneca's answer is not to love less in order to hurt less. It is to love while you have the chance, without postponing the enjoyment of it. Put down the phone when your child is telling you something ordinary. Call the friend you keep meaning to call. Let a meal with your parents be a meal, not an item on a schedule. This is not a demand to squeeze every moment until it becomes anxious. It is an invitation to be present before absence teaches you what presence was worth. Appreciation is the proper response to uncertainty, not attachment to guarantees.
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