\u201cWere you to live three thousand years, or even a countless multiple of that, keep in mind that no one ever loses a life other than the one they are living, and no one ever lives a life other than the one they are losing. The longest and the shortest life, then, amount to the same, for the present moment lasts the same for all and is all anyone possesses. No one can lose either the past or the future, for how can someone be deprived of what\u2019s not theirs?\u201d\u00a0\u2014MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 2.14
\nToday, notice how often you look for more. That is, wanting the past to be more than what it was (different, better, still here, etc.) or wanting the future to unfold exactly as you expect (with hardly a thought as to how that might affect other people).
\nWhen you do this, you\u2019re neglecting the present moment. Talk about ungrateful!
\nThere\u2019s a saying\u2014attributed to Bil Keane, the cartoonist\u2014worth remembering: \u201cYesterday\u2019s the past, tomorrow\u2019s the future, but today is a gift. That\u2019s why it\u2019s called the present.\u201d This present is in our possession\u2014but it has an expiration date, a quickly approaching one. If you enjoy all of it, it will be enough. It can last a whole lifetime.
\nRyan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman. \u201cThe Daily Stoic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWere you to live three thousand years, or even a countless multiple of that, keep in mind that no one ever loses a life other than the one they are living, and no one ever lives a life other than the one they are losing. The longest and the shortest life, then, amount to the …<\/p>\n