Remember Two Things

 Stoicism is something I think we all need as the whole world goes through this pandemic.  It is already in all walks of life without being a certain religion or way of life.  In the ancient past, a leader (Marcus Aurelius) faced a pandemic and he used this philosophy:

“Remember two things: i.
that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur in a hundred years or two hundred, or in an infinite period; ii.
that the longest - lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing.
The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have you cannot lose.” by Marcus Aurelius
The Stoic
From The Stoic App

Many leaders followed Stoicism.  Since America is based on WE THE PEOPLE, we are not sequestered to follow anyone or ideas.  The choice is ours.  There is a lot of this philosophy in Christianity — Gnosticism.  This is used in all religions, today.  Without study, how can we learn anything?  If you join any organization teaches one have to give up this and that while giving it all away to that organization, then you cannot run away fast enough.  These systems are scams if not — occult.  Believe it or not, most religion plays this very thing — cleverly to keep the law of the land from shutting them down if not prison time for these false religions leaders.

Now back to the two things Marcus Aurelius gave us — even to this very day, and yes, we still can apply it under this pandemic — COVID-19.

I.  THINGS ALWAYS REPEAT THEMSELVES.  If they did not, how come we are all 99.9% the same (male, female, young, old, tall, short, etc.)?  "Just because a female's reproductive organs are in the inside than out does not mean they can't do what males can do" -- Captain Samantha Carter, Stargate SG1.  Males can have big chests.  Hormones allow females to breastfeed after birthing a child.  It is amazing how that 0.1% can do so much for humanity.

As with Marcus Aurelius, he and his people faced their own pandemic — the Antonine Plague. This one leader stood with his people during their time of need. How many leaders can you say that about (NOT Ted Cruz)? Marcus risked his own life for the good of his responsibility as their leader. He did more than stay, but he gave everyone Stoic Enlightenment if not wisdom that would carry them far beyond their current plight.

II.  EVERYTHING IS TEMPORAL  During the Antonine Plague, everyone lost the same things we have and will lose with COVID-19.  It is far from at an end.  Do not feel left out because someone somewhere has already gone through it.  The best thing we can do — support one another.  Remind them what Marcus taught his people.

We are also entering into a new era that has evolved already through modern technologies that are advancing beyond anything in human history.  It has affected all aspects of life and disciplines, and studies like medicine, education, etc.  I believe our pandemic may have excelled us into this new reality faster than the preindustrial age had done for us.  What we need to do is own it, be a part of it in every way so we can excel in what lies ahead.

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