"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Source: Marcus Aurelius (2015). “Meditations”, p.116, Lulu.com
About the author
Marcus Aurelius
Philosopher, Emperor
Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, notable for his work 'Meditations', which explores themes of control and virtue.
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"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
"Think of all the years passed by in which you said to yourself "I'll do it tomorrow," and how the gods have again and again granted you periods of grace of which you have not availed yourself. It is time to realize that you are a member of the Universe, that you are born of Nature itself, and to know that a limit has been set to your time. Use every moment wisely, to perceive your inner refulgence, or 'twill be gone and nevermore within your reach."
"It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinions than our own."
"Say to yourself in the early morning: I shall meet today ungrateful, violent, treacherous, envious, uncharitable men. All of these things have come upon them through ignorance of real good and ill... I can neither be harmed by any of them, for no man will involve me in wrong, nor can I be angry with my kinsman or hate him; for we have come into the world to work together."
"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."