Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.
EpictetusRead
Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.
Interpretation
Accepting what happens in life leads to tranquility.
This quote by Epictetus emphasizes the importance of accepting events as they unfold, rather than clinging to desires that things should go a specific way. By aligning our wishes with reality instead of resisting it, we can achieve a sense of peace and tranquility in our lives.
In practice
In a motivational speech about overcoming challenges in life.
Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.
Learn to distinguish what you can and can't control. Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, desires and the things that repel us. They are directly subject to our influence.
Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But you are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your will needn't be affected by an incident unless you let it.
The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater.
Memory is so corrupt that you remember only what you want to; if you want to forget about something, slowly but surely you do.
Unity, to be real, must stand the severest strain without breaking.
Every thoughtful, well-meaning and conscientious human being_x000D_ should assume in time of peace,_x000D_ the solemn and unconditional obligation_x000D_ not to participate in any war, for any reason_x000D_ or to lend support of any kind, whether direct or indirect.
I have not been able to discover whether there exists a precise French equivalent for the common Anglo-American expression 'killing time.' It's a very crass and breezy expression, when you ponder it for a moment, considering that time, after all, is killing us.
But what a weak barrier is truth when it stands in the way of an hypothesis!
The good man's past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven.
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