Stoicism [...] concerns the active relationship between cosmic determinism and human freedom, and the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is in accord with nature. Because of this, the Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life, and they thought that the best indication of an individual's philosophy was not what a person said but how they behaved.
Stoicism teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions; the philosophy holds that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker allows one to understand the universal reason (logos). A primary aspect of Stoicism involves improving the individual’s ethical and moral well-being: "Virtue consists in a will which is in agreement with Nature."
I've been wondering lately. I've been wondering how come that one often thinks about how to prepare or cope with bad luck or tragedies, while one spends little time thinking about preparing for luck, for good fortune, for coping with the good things happening to you.
You try to behave more or less reasonably or pragmatic in your every day life; you don't go out spending all your pay on the first day to buy books, bags, or that very special sound system you've been thinking about for some time now. You try not to expect too much (maybe even pretending that you're somewhat modest), you don't want to get your hopes up, after all. You apply for a job and think you're probably not going to get it. You look for appartments and think you're probably not going to get one. You go out and think you're probably not going to meet anybody interesting (and if you do, you think that person probably won't be interested in you anyway; in other words: you're being modest again).
What then, if all of those things happen? Not little by little and one after another (making it easier for you to digest), but all at once, all at the same time, adding up to this huge emotional mess, to this uncanny feeling of: Can this really be happening to me? LIFE, do you really mean ME?
You turn around ten times a day, as if you could look yourself over the shoulder to make sure: it is really me, all of this is really happening to me. You wait for that particular phone call that will explain it all: Someone made a mistake, something has gone wrong, this was not really intended to happen this way, and in any case, it wasn't supposed to happen to you. You try to make sense of it: You start thinking that somehow - and for reasons quite incomprehensible to you -, you deserve all of this (even though there are so many people around you struggeling who 'deserve' happiness as much you do). You start thinking about God or some other supernatural power guarding you and making this happening for you, just for you: Your own little share of happiness all sorted out and prepared way back to be given to you right this moment, right in this minute when you least expected it (like a huge, cosmic surprise party).
I guess what I am trying to say is that happiness, just like unhappiness, strips you down to your bones in one second; and you stand there, lost like a stray dog on the highway not knowing where to turn to and what to do. But in the end, what the heck - it's just fucking amazing to sit here and say and feel and think (and ultimately even realize): I am happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment