Роздуми

           Evenchanceisnotdivorcedfromnature,fromtheinweavingandenfoldingofthingsgovernedbyProvidence.Everythingproceedsfromit.Andthenthereisnecessityandtheneedsofthewholeworld,ofwhichyouareapart.Whateverthenatureofthewholedoes,andwhateverservestomaintainit,isgoodforeverypartofnature.Theworldismaintainedbychange—intheelementsandinthethingstheycompose.Thatshouldbeenoughforyou;treatitasanaxiom.Discardyourthirstforbooks,sothatyouwon’tdieinbitterness,butincheerfulnessandtruth,gratefultothegodsfromthebottomofyourheart.

           4.Rememberhowlongyou’vebeenputtingthisoff,howmanyextensionsthegodsgaveyou,andyoudidn’tusethem.Atsomepointyouhavetorecognizewhatworlditisthatyoubelongto;whatpowerrulesitandfromwhatsourceyouspring;thatthereisalimittothetimeassignedyou,andifyoudon’tuseittofreeyourselfitwillbegoneandwillneverreturn.

           5.ConcentrateeveryminutelikeaRoman—likeaman—ondoingwhat’sinfrontofyouwithpreciseandgenuineseriousness,tenderly,willingly,withjustice.Andonfreeingyourselffromallotherdistractions.Yes,youcan—ifyoudoeverythingasifitwerethelastthingyouweredoinginyourlife,andstopbeingaimless,stoplettingyouremotionsoverridewhatyourmindtellsyou,stopbeinghypocritical,self-centered,irritable.