IF anybody shall reprove me, and shall make it apparent unto me, that in any either opinion or action of mine I do err, I will most gladly retract. For it is the truth that I seek after, by which I am sure that never any man was hurt; and as sure, that he is hurt that continues in any error, or ignorance whatsoever.
MARCUS AURELIUS. MEDITATIONS. Book vi. 60.
TEACH them that sin better, and make it appear unto them: but be not angry with them.
MARCUS AURELIUS. MEDITATIONS. Book vi. 25.
WHEN you have done well, and another is benefited by your action, must you like a very fool look for a third thing besides, as that it may appear unto others also that you have done well, or that you may in time, receive one good turn for another?
MARCUS AURELIUS. MEDITATIONS. Book vii. 43.
OMG! This is SO appropriate to me. I've been discussing with my replacement how well she's doing and how she's doing some things much better than I did.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it's been hard to see that. I've been internally struggling with trying to spin her success to my credit. Luckily, I'm self-aware enough to see it and the passage above really spoke to me.
I know it doesn't apply directly, but this notion of the good of actions in and of themselves appeals to me. Even IF (and in a lot of cases it's the case) I had a hand in some of her actions, there's no need to remind her OR others. Simply doing the good thing is enough.
I appreciate these daily quotes, even if I don't always comment.
Thanks pam and michel!
I never understood how 'only the truth hurts' came to be a popular saying, there where the truth is a self-sustaining, nay, the absolute healing force that keeps the whole universe together! Maybe it only shows how we got identified with what we are not, or with only a part of ourselves. We feel offended when told how selfish we are, because we have learned to look at ourselves through the eye of public opinion. In the eye of a third person, we always appear as a separate selves. When looking through my own eye, I see I'm built open for the world to express in so many different ways... The truth of what I really am doesn't need publicity or defence. Is that the reason why the wise of past and present are ready to give up all their possesions and physical integrity without fighting, if need be?
ReplyDeleteAlso, 'if it leads to compassion, you know it's knowledge; otherwise, it's just more information'. ~ Gerald Grow