Rating: 4.9/5
WELL, SHIT! Bowing down to this philosopher king! The text is divided into three sections. First, Seneca addresses the shortness of life. Second, he provides guidance to his mother on how to grieve his death (only Seneca would do this!!). Last, he provides counsel on the tranquility of the mind. Seneca’s teachings are timeless and humbling. Consolation to Helvia was most memorable to me because the entire piece evokes the care and love Seneca has for his mother but also the rationality and urgency to conquer grief and not let it take over living. Would 100% re-read.
Insights/Thoughts
- “But life is very short for those who forget the past, neglect the present, and fear the future”. The part that hit me was the reference to the past. I often hear about people who want to forget the past or forget a painful experience. By forgetting we skip the thoughtful reflection to learn from our mistakes and not repeat the vices/misfortunes that once made us suffer. In other words, it reduces suffering for the future.
- How many years do we truly live for ourselves instead of bearing the weight for someone else’s expectations?
Favourite Quotes
People are frugal in guarding their personal property but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy. So you must not think a man has lived long because he has white hair and wrinkles: he has not lived long, just existed long. We are in the habit of saying that it was not in our power to choose the parents who were allotted to us that they were given to us by chance. But we can choose whose children we would like to be. Whatever is best for a human being lies outside human control: it can be neither given nor taken away. …though you may increase your income and extend your estates, you will never increase the capacity of your bodies.