Dear Bill,

Let me share this nugget of wisdom with you on your journey of 2020. I think you will like this passage from my letter taken from my Moral Epistles to Lucilius. Enjoy. And thank you for sharing your blog with us dead guy Stoic philosophers- we appreciate you…so listen to this:

 “And mark how self-sufficient he is; for on occasion he can be content with a part of himself. If he lose a hand through disease or war, or if some accident puts out one or both of his eyes, he will be satisfied with what is left, taking as much pleasure in his impaired and maimed body as he took when it was sound.  In this sense the wise man is self-sufficient…”

Farewell,

Seneca the Younger

(Letter 9 to Lucilius)

Dear Seneca,

Thank you! Amazing to hear from you. I agree that the wise man is self-sufficient and quite appreciate the need to take pleasure with “what is left”- physically, emotionally or however we “lose” a part of ourselves. If you were here in 2020 you would be able to see how we are adapting to “what is left” whether we face physical, social, or emotional challenges. Our self-sufficiency is what will allow us to persevere and endure and keep us filled with gratitude and positivity.

Respectfully,

Bill

P.S. Love the letters….and opportunity to reflect in a reasoned manner.