How should we live? It is a question we rarely ask ourselves. I think everyone should find the answer to this question for themselves.

Living

"Call to mind what work you have achieved in such a long life; how many have plundered your life when you were unaware of your loses; how much you have lost through groundless sorrow, foolish joy, greedy desire, the seductions of society; how little of your own was left to you. You will realize that you are dying prematurely."

"... learning how to live takes a whole life, and, which may surprise you more, it takes a whole life to learn how to die"

"You are living as if destined to live forever; your own frailty never occurs to you; you don't notice how much time has already passed, but squander it as though you had a full and overflowing supply - though all the while that very day which you are devoting to somebody or something may be your last. You act like mortals in all that you fear, and like immortals in all that you desire."

We spend our lives procrastinating on good things, and we end up as someone who regrets the things he/she didn't do in time.

Postpone

"Would you like to know how they do not live long? See how keen they are to live long."

"Life divided into three periods; past, present and future. Of these, the present is short, the future is doubtful, the past is certain....The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today."

What we all suffer from in today's modern world is that we don't have enough time to do all our work. After a while, we get so caught up in this hustle and bustle that we don't even think to question what we're striving for or whether it's really worth the effort.

Time

"So you must not think a man has lived long because he has white hair and wrinkles: he has not lived long, just existed long."

"But life is very short and anxious for those who forget the past, neglect the present and fear the future."

"No one will bring back the years; no one will restore you to yourself. Life will follow the path it began to take, and will neither reverse nor check its course. It will cause no commotion to remind you of its swiftness, but glide on quietly. As it started out on its first day, so it will run on, nowhere pausing or turning aside. What will be the outcome? You have been preoccupied while life hastens on. Meanwhile death will arrive, and you have no choice in making yourself available for that."

An excellent book for reflection on life, time and virtue from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca.

"Written as a moral essay to his friend Paulinus, Seneca's ... words still pack a powerful punch two thousand years later. With its brash rejection of materialism, conventional lifestyles and groupthink, [the book] is as relevant as ever."--Back cover.

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Life is long if you know how to use it. From the author of Letters From A Stoic (Epistulae Moralis), comes another brilliant, timeless guide to living well. Written as a moral essay to his friend Paulinus, Seneca's biting words still pack a powerful punch two thousand years later. With its brash rejection of materialism, conventional lifestyles and group-think, On The Shortness of Life is as relevant as ever. Seneca anticipates the modern world. It's a unique expose of how people get caught up in the rat race and how for those stuck in this mindset, enough is never enough. The 'busy' individuals of Rome Seneca makes reference to, those people who are too preoccupied with their careers and maintaining social relationships to fully examine the quality of their lives, sound a lot like ourselves. Includes biographical sketch 'Seneca The Stoic.'

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca or Seneca the Younger); ca. 4 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero, who later forced him to commit suicide for alleged complicity in the Pisonian conspiracy to have him assassinated.

SENECA

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FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (2011)

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