“To be like the rock that the waves keep crashing over. It stands unmoved and the raging of the sea falls still around it.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
I often think about how a human body can contain a noisy mind. How can the flesh and bones not get electrocuted by the tingling spark pulsing rapidly through the body?
How can you quiet the angry voice – talking, assuming, complaining, advising, punishing, reminding… How do you stop a heart from going to the races?
Is this about acceptance, or is one supposed to detach and observe?
If I accept, I can either surrender or prepare for battle. As surrendering was always an option, I wonder how can one wage war against oneself?
If I detach and observe, I might be able to build a taller barrier. But what is the point of a better defence, if it is destined to hold only until it collapses?
One of the stoics, Marc Aurelius believed that virtue is the sole key to bona fide happiness. However, the problem with Aurelius and his rock, is that even the mightiest mountain will eventually erode under the great force of nature.
I think that sometimes, the secret is not to stand still, but to swim along with the current. To use the chaos to carry you further.
Forge a new path for the stream, harness its energy to serve your purpose.
Sail.