This one thing, thoughts just, and acts social, and words which never lie, and a disposition which gladly accepts all that happens, as necessary, as usual, as flowing from a principle and source of the same kind.
Marcus Aurelius identifies the singular focus worthy of serious effort: just thoughts, social actions, truthful words, and a willing acceptance of all events as natural and necessary.
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But it is inconsistent with honoring reason and God to be troubled because by death a man will be deprived of the other things.
Reflecting on all this, consider nothing to be great, except to act as thy nature leads thee, and to endure that which the common nature brings.
But everything else, whether it is in the power of thy will or not, is only lifeless ashes and smoke.
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