Marcus Aurelius: “But if anything in thy own disposition gives thee pain, who hinders thee from correcting thy opinion?”

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 if it is easy to set little value on all these things, turn to that which remains, which is to follow reason and God.

But intellect in a peculiar manner tends to that which is of the same kin, and combines with it, and the feeling for communion is not interrupted.

But everything else, whether it is in the power of thy will or not, is only lifeless ashes and smoke.