Face pricking
Forehead burning
Dull discomfort lurks
Visual field edge dark
Only when sick
I realize we
Traverse life mindlessly
Daily
Don’t misinterpret the gifts of fortune
Seneca wrote to Lucilius.
I guess
If I can endure this,
Tomorrow’s pain—
Running 6k,
Quantum math,
Cold emailing—
Won’t be as excruciating.
I felt sorry for myself today
Which disturbed my tranquility
Luckily, my trusty
Epictetus’ words:
Illness is an impediment to the body
but not to the will
unless the will chooses it to be.
(Enchiridion 9)
And Buddha’s teachings:
When the uninstructed worldling experiences pain,
he sorrows, grieves, and laments.
When the noble disciple experiences pain,
he harbors no aversion.
(Samyutta Nikaya 36:6)
Slap the anguish out of me
The Enchiridion is my Bible
Food for my soul
Weathered words for the weary
I read repetitively for therapy
Stoicism helps during good times.
But in bad times,
Philosophy truly shines.