At dawn of day, when you dislike being called, have this thought ready: “I am called to man’s labour; why then do I make a difficulty if I am going out to do what I was born to do and what I was brought into the world for?” — Meditations, Book V

My (somewhat late) Take – You gotta do what you gotta do.  I would love to stay up all night and sleep in until mid-day, at least occasionally.  Sometimes, it would be nice to blow off work and go to the range or go fishing.  Unfortunately, life dictates that the time for that in my life is over, at least for now.  Being an adult means putting off what you want to do in favor of what you need to do.  That nagging voice telling you to get your butt out of bed and get to work is responsibility and duty.  If you are older than 22 and/or have kids and that voice isn’t telling you to grow up and make sure the lights stay on, you need to develop it.

Death hangs over thee: whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good. — Meditations, Book IV

My Take – No-one gets out alive, folks.  Maybe there’s a reward after death, maybe there isn’t.  We will all know one way or another, but while we’re here, we need to decide if we will be remembered as a good member of our species, have our memories despised, or worst of all, be forgotten.

As surgeons keep their instruments and knives always at hand for cases requiring immediate treatment, so shouldst thou have thy thoughts ready to understand things divine and human, remembering in thy every act, even the smallest, how close is the bond that unites the two. — Mediations, Book III

My Take – One of the reasons I continue to write here is that it gives my mind a little exercise every day.  It’s not mental calisthenics like Sudoku.  Rather, it’s more like a mental stretch.  Keeping your mind sharp and being aware of what’s going on around you can allow you to see things you haven’t before and to understand how it and everything else around you fit together to make your world.

He was a man who looked at what ought to be done, not to the reputation which is got by a man’s acts. — Meditations, Book I

My Take – It is better to do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not because others will notice.  On the flip side, it is still wrong to do wrong, even when no-one will notice.

Take heed not to be transformed into a Caesar, not to be dipped in the purple dye, for it does happen. Keep yourself therefore, simple, good, pure, grave, unaffected, the friend of justice, religious, kind, affectionate, strong for your proper work. Wrestle to be the man philosophy wished to make you. Reverence the gods, save men. Life is brief; there is but one harvest of earthly existence, a holy disposition and neighborly acts. — Mediations, Book VI

My Take – One of the things that will help me respect those in power, especially politicians, is if they remember where they come from.  None of us are to the manor born here.  We all come, one way or another, from people coming to these shores with very little to their name.  No matter if you are generations removed from them, we all have ancestors who lived hand to mouth, struggling every day, but always striving to do better.  When I see someone who forgets this, or who forgets that before they achieved a better station in life they led a much more modest life, they lose a lot in my estimation.  I will always remember that I am the descendent of immigrant farmers and workers, and that at times in my life I have been perilously close to the edge of poverty.  No matter where I live or how much I make, I will always know that I am no better than anyone else.

Let not thy mind run on what thou lackest as much as on what thou hast already. — Meditations, Book VII

My Take – I always struggle with this one.  I want the new car, I want the house in the country.  I need the new gun, or I have to have some hunting land.  I really should get that new gadget, or at least upgrade the one I already have.  All the while I’m looking past the good job, wonderful family, great friends, good home, and life of absolute luxury that I have.  Yes, I will always work hard to do better, but I should always remember that I have more now than I have ever had in my life, and it’s more than any of my ancestors ever wished for.

If it is not right, do not do it, if it is not true, do not say it. — Meditations, Book XII

My Take – Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it?  Unfortunately, we get caught up in “shades of gray” and forget that simple way of looking at things.  If it feels slimy, it is, and you shouldn’t do it.  If it sounds wrong, then it probably is, and don’t do it.  Thing is, if you can adhere to this high standard most of the time, you will be doing better than most people.  Even a little more effort toward being honest and respectable will make you stand out in most crowds.

The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell whether he choose or not. — Meditations, Book XI

My Take – Your reputation will precede you.  If you are an upstanding person, others will know that by the way you deal with them and others.  A talent need not be advertised, because it will make itself evident in the most effective way:  you will exercise it and others will notice. There is no need to toot your own horn, nor is it necessary that others sing your praises.

Do not think that what is hard for you to master is humanly impossible; but if a thing is humanly possible, consider it to be within your reach. — Meditations, Book VI

My Take – If others can do it, then so can you.  Maybe not as easily, or as smoothly, but it is possible.  Take time to learn, practice, and practice some more, and you will be surprised at what you can do.  The key is to not give up, even when you do not initially succeed.

Give thyself time to learn something new and good, and cease to be whirled around. — Meditations, Book II

My Take – When you are trying to learn a new skill, it is always best to do it in a setting where you can concentrate on learning and little else.  Trying to teach yourself calculus while the kids are running through the house screaming is counterproductive.  Find a time and place where distractions are minimal, and you will find your learning is much easier.