You know how Saturday feels? That loose, easy roll into the day when you know you’re going to get lots of fun stuff done? That’s the feeling I have every day. Even if it’s Monday and I have appointments out the wazoo, I still have that feeling. It’s Saturday, and I’m excited because this is going to be a fun day!
Of course, there’s the inevitable to-do lists that will never be done - they just keep growing. There’s cooking and cleaning and appointments. Problems to solve. Break downs. Break ups. Breaking news. As long as we’re alive, there’s an endless stream of people competing for our attention. At least, if we play our cards right. If people aren’t wanting our attention, then we’ve got an even greater problem. There will be mistakes, missteps, misspoken words. Always more to learn and more to do. This is the beauty of being alive. Life is streaming through us for this brief moment in time, and almost all of it is beyond our control. The only thing we can control, really, is our internal state and how we meet it. I suggest you embrace life like a lover, full of positive expectancy. Open into it, eagerly, joyfully, with a smile on your face. Epictetus said 2,000 years ago, “I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?” Epictetus was born a slave and crippled. His was not an easy life, and his challenges were, arguably, far greater than ours. He would eventually win his freedom and become Marcus Aurelius’ teacher. If you aren’t familiar with him, I recommend you read The Art of Living with a new interpretation by Sharon Lebell. His words are luminous, with the power to change your life. You may not change things on the outside, but what’s important is that you change things on the inside. That, my dears, will work a miracle. Enjoy your Saturday.
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Elaine's BlogAmor fati. Love what is. Everything is beautiful, but not everyone sees the beauty. Our work is to refine our vision so that we can see the Truth - the perfection in life as it is. Sometimes our greatest lessons come from our hardest experiences. Every moment is an opportunity to learn and to love. Archives
June 2019
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