[One Thousand Characters a Day] Aurelius' "Meditations" <3>

Editor's NoteAsia Economy provides daily 1,000-character transcription content for the 'Harumanbo Harucheonja' newsletter readers. The transcription content is carefully selected according to themes on a daily and monthly basis from Eastern and Western classics, Korean literature, famous columns, and notable speeches. Marcus Aurelius, a philosopher from ancient Rome, discusses the power of human beings to recover from pain, illness, anger, and loss in Meditations. This will offer profound insights to those who seek to transform themselves and overcome inner difficulties for a better life each day. Character count: 992.

Do not be disturbed by things that arise from external causes. Be just regarding those that arise from causes within yourself. In other words, impulses and actions should be for social conduct. This is following your nature.

The reason you can escape from the many things that trouble you is that they exist only in your thoughts. Contemplate how you hold the entire universe within your mind, and by thinking of eternal time and the swift changes of each thing, consider how brief the span is from generation to dissolution, and how infinite it is both before generation and after dissolution.

All things you see will quickly perish, and those who witness their destruction will also quickly perish. Even the longest-lived person will be placed under the same conditions as one who died young.

What are they ruled by? Why are they so busy? Why do they love and respect? You must become accustomed to seeing their naked, shameless souls. They think that criticism harms them and praise helps them?what a great absurdity this is.

Loss is no different from change. The nature of the universe rejoices in change, and according to this nature, all things are beautifully born. It is the same from eternity to eternity. So why do you say that all things arise from evil and that all things will always be evil, and that among the gods there is no power to correct this, but rather that this universe is cursed to collapse in endless evil?

All basic materials, when decayed, are nothing but water, dust, bones, and stench. Marble is hardened earth, gold and silver sink, garments are made of hair, purple dye is the blood of shellfish, and the rest are similar. Our breath also changes from this to that.

I am sickened by this miserable life, complaints, and monkey-like mimicry. Why are you so anxious? Are there any new things? What disturbs you? Was there a cause? If so, look at that cause.

- Aurelius, Meditations, translated by Kim Dong-hoon, Minumsa, 13,000 KRW