"If all this is true and we are not silly nor merely playing a part when we say 'Man's good and man's evil lies in moral choice, and all other things are nothing to us,' why are we still distressed and afraid? Over the things that we seriously care for no one has authority; and the things over which other men have authority do not concern us.
What kind of thing do we have left to discuss? - 'Nay, give me directions.'
What directions shall I give you? Has not Zeus given you directions? Has he not given you that which is your own, unhindered and unrestrained, while that which is not your own is subject to hinderance and restraint? What directions, then, did you bring with you when you came from him into this world, what kind of an order? Guard by every means that which is your own, but do not grasp at that which is another's.
Your faithfulness is your own, your self-respect is your own; who, then, can take these things from you? Who but yourself will prevent you from using them? But you, how do you act? When you seek earnestly that which is not your own, you lose that which is your own."
- Epictetus, Book 1.25 (Modified layout for emphasis, highlight is my own)
Said a bit more succinctly, no-one can cause you to give up your self respect and faith except yourself. I often forget that, chasing after - as Epictetus states - those things that are not owned by me, those things that I have no power or control over: not only world events, but even how other people view me. How often I have surrendered my own faith and self-respect in such fruitless pursuits.
That is a timely reminder. Thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome STxAR - but as with most of these, they always start as a reminder to myself.
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