Now, if these things are done so, life must flow on happily, just as thou mayst observe that the life of a citizen is happy, who continues a course of action which is advantageous to his fellow-citizens, and is content with whatever the state may assign to him.
This passage from his personal reflections connects individual happiness to virtuous conduct, civic duty, and contentment with one's role in the state.
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The safety of life is this, to examine everything all through, what it is itself, that is its material, what the formal part; with all thy soul to do justice and to say the truth.
What remains, except to enjoy life by joining one good thing to another so as not to leave even the smallest intervals between?
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.
And how small a part of the whole substance; and how small a part of the universal soul; and on what a small clod of the whole earth thou creepest!
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