I invite you to take a few deep breaths as you choose your preferred music below, enjoy the stunning natural scenery, and reflect on the following words of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius:
Gentle guitar
Intense meditation
Whatever another may do or say, I for my part must be good; it is just as if an emerald—or some gold or purple—should say again and again, “Whatever another may do or say, I for my part must be an emerald and preserve my native hue.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.15
Music credit: ArtMusic and Imaginedragon via Pixabay
Photo credit: Clement Fusil via Unsplash
Hi Brittany being good and living a good life is hard! One of the most difficult aspects is forgiveness and when I studied Christianity this was one of the most difficult issues particularly since I grew up in Northern Ireland during our troubles and when our communities were scarred by Irish republican terrorism atrocities. Even in my later years I find it hard to forgive the terrorists who kidnapped tortured and destroyed innocent families yet after the peace process the same psychopaths took political office. I know Jesus would urge forgiveness but I have often wondered what Marcus Aurelius would say about it. I suspect he would demand justice and toss them to the lions!. I am pretty sure if what happened in Northern Ireland had happened in America none of the terrorists would still be alive today! Any views of how a stoic should approach this thorny issue? My approach with family members is to consider thar it is in the past, nothing can be changed and that no point reliving the trauma and move on. But being good is difficult!