A lot is said of the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. He was probably the most influential in roman thought and he is known for his own writings that he titled, “To Himself.’ They were never intended to have an audience. I have been diving into that lately. He had a certain philosophy he lived by and that has been known today as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Look it up, it is a easy download. Might be even free on Kindle.
I think this is the perfect anti-COVID reading. Just seems to help me a little, and I have enjoyed picking up a concept here and there. Many of this thoughts have justified by own behavior. The concept of waking up early (5am for me) and getting to work on the most important things first. That is a concept that I have been doing now for a long time and it is definitely highly recommended. Writing your thoughts down everyday. A daily journal if you will. That is another thing that I have done everyday as part of keeping this blog. It has also had a dramatic impact on the way I go about my life. A few others that I am still working through and I will probably bring them up in future blogs.
The one that hit me today, was that we need to always remember that we will die, Memento Mori. “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” He commented that when he went to bed at night and said good night to his family, he did not rush the matter. After all, this night could be your last. It created a way for him to keep all things precious, to leave each of his family feeling a connection to him. He maintained the concept of keeping his own mortality front and center because it caused him to focus on what was the most important at all times and not to be overcome with triviality.
We should always seek to maximize our day, to pay attention to the things that matter the most. Creating good habits, doing constructive things, paying attention to those that are the most important to you. Engaging in activities that will improve your situation. IN ever aspect, make sure that you are doing everything you can to live life to it’s fullest.
When you wake in the morning, when you go to bed at night, remember Memento Mori.
Guy Reams
