I’ve been thinking about the topic of ‘Virtue’ and ‘Values’ recently and so I started properly on Marcus Aurelius’s book Meditation from the beginning.
Just on the first page alone, he lists down lessons he learns from family and close friends:
Decency
Mild temper
Integrity
Manliness
Piety
Generosity
Avoidance of wrong doing
Simplicity of living
Stay clear of habits of the rich
Spend lavishly on education
Tolerate pain
Feel few needs
Work with your own hands
Mind your own business
Be deaf to malicious gossip
Avoid empty enthusiasm
Disbelieve miracle-mongers and quacks
Tolerate plain speaking
Have affinity for philosophy
Write essays from young
The list includes items that we can apply to our “modern life”. How many of us introspect and think about life in such a deep way?
How we conduct ourselves in personal and professional setting.
More importantly, how we behave when no one else is looking…
What about if we have the opportunity to give in to temptation without anyone ever knowing – would we do it?
What’s the meaning of Life?
That’s the £64 million question, isn’t it?
I believe it’s about the positive impact we make to the lives of the people around us.
That’s the What.
The Art of Living is in the How.
How do we do that in a way that fulfils us, that brings joy and delight to the people we touch?
The answers to the ‘How’ questions are worth spending the time to learn.
I’m doing this by reading ‘Meditations’.
What’s your favourite way of trying to answer your ‘How’ questions?
