“How long do you put off thinking yourself worthy of the best things, and never going past the definitive capacity of reason? You have received the philosophical propositions that you ought to agree to and agreed to them. Then what sort of teacher are you still waiting for, that you put off improving yourself until he comes? You are not a boy anymore, but already a full-grown man. If you now neglect things and are lazy and are always making delay after delay and set one day after another as the day for paying attention to yourself, then without realizing it you will make no progress but will end up a non-philosopher all through life and death. So decide now that you are worthy of living as a full-grown man who is making progress, and make everything that seems best be a law you cannot go against. And if you meet with any hardship or anything pleasant or reputable or disreputable, then remember that the contest is NOW and the Olympic games are NOW and you cannot put things off any more and that your progress is made or destroyed by a single day and a single action.” - Handbook of Epictetus
Not every thought and principle in Epictetus’ little handbook is completely in line with a Judeo-Christian worldview, but this particular passage jumped out at me, and reminded me of a couple things - God’s mercy and His propensity to bless (or curse!) are renewed every morning. My tendency is to procrastinate about living, and focus my attentions on the dying of the day - the “just getting by” mindset, waiting for the struggle of the workday to end.
That is no way to live. Life is for living - Mailer puts it famously: “Every moment of one’s existence one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit.”
I want to live a little more every day, and spend less time procrastinating about being a better husband, a good daddy, a humble servant, a lover, a fighter, et al. It’s a process, sure. But the speed at which living life happens is dependent on my ability to submit myself to the notion of surrendering to the Life-Giver.
Just my random thoughts this morning.
Spend today LIVING.
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