Quotes That Resonate

Do you sometimes come across a quote from someone long dead from ancient eras that seems so real and fresh today? Or, have you heard wisdom from modern people that make you think and resonates with you? When I was a Latin language teacher, my students were often amazed at the acuity expressed by Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121 AD-180 AD). The students were under the impression that someone who lived that long go didn’t understand the issues we face today After they read and translated works of Marcus Aurelius, who ruled the Roman Empire from 161 AD- 180 AD and was the last emperor of the Pax Romana, they were in awe of his brilliance. I’ll share some illustrative quotes from Marcus Aurelius later in this blog essay.

What about thoughts from more modern people? What wisdom do they have to share with us? I chose quotes from Barack & Michele Obama and Taylor Swift as present day sages from whom we can relate. After having taught people from elementary school through college, I have witnessed this axiom first hand: wisdom is not conferred on only the older people of the culture; it often emanates from the young if we simply listen to them

Marcus Aurelius’s journals comprise his collection of writings called Meditations. Because Greek was considered the language of the Eastern Roman Empire and the language of philosophy,

Aurelius wrote in Greek rather than in Latin. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius were later translated into Latin and then into every known language of the modern world. I don’t know about you, but, my journal writing is not as eloquent as his; in fact, my entries are sometimes complaints. I’m inspired by Aurelius to write my own ‘meditations’ and leave the complaining behind because that’s not how I wish to be remembered.

* This is step one in Aurelius’s habits for the morning: “At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work – as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for – the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?’” (In other words, get up and show up).

* This is the second step in his habits for the morning. Aurelius encourages us to journal our thoughts in this quote: “The recognition that I needed to train and discipline my character. Not to be sidetracked by my interest in rhetoric. Not to write treatises on abstract questions, or deliver moralizing little sermons, or compose imaginary descriptions of The Simple Life or The Man Who Lives Only for Others. To steer clear of oratory, poetry and belles lettres. Not to dress up just to stroll around the house, or things like that. To write straightforward.” (Belles lettres is French and means ‘beautiful writing.’)

* Here is another of his habits for the morning: “When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly.”

“The above quote would cause most readers to believe that Marcus viewed people with a pessimistic lens. That could not be further from the truth. When Marcus writes this description of people, he’s talking about Premeditatio Malorum, or negative visualization; the ability to anticipate the worst so that we can adequately prepare ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead. The Stoic doesn’t see negative visualization as pessimistic, but simply a feature of their undying optimism. Every day there are people and things that will annoy and distract us, but it is within our power to not let that happen. It all depends on our perception. We can’t take responsibility for other peoples’ behavior, but we can take responsibility for our own” (https://dailystoic.com/marcus-aurelius-daily-habits/).

* Aurelius thought communing with nature is essential for daily life: “Anyone with a feeling for nature—a deeper sensitivity—will find it all gives pleasure. Even what seems inadvertent. He’ll find the jaws of live animals as beautiful as painted ones or sculptures. He’ll look calmly at the distinct beauty of old age in men, women, and at the loveliness of children. And other things like that will call out to him constantly—things unnoticed by others. Things seen only by those at home with Nature and its works” (in other words, see stillness in nature).

* “You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.”

* “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

* “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”

* “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.”

How many of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations quotes resonate with you?

Let’s move about 1843 years in the future from Marcus Aurelius's time to listen to the sagely intelligence of a few modern ‘philosophers.’

From Barack Obama, we can glean wisdom:

* “Change is never easy, but always possible.”

* “ The cynics may be the loudest voices - but I promise you, they will accomplish the least.”

* “There is no excuse for not trying.”

* “It is you, the young and fearless at heart, the most diverse and educated generation in our history, who the nation is waiting to follow.”

From Michele Obama,

* “When someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is,’When they go low, we go high.’” (I have a plaque of this wisdom on my desk, so that I see it every day.)

* “Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed.”

* "Confidence, I'd learned then, sometimes needs to be called from within. I've repeated the same words to myself many times now, through many climbs: 'Am I good enough? Yes I am.’"

* “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half its citizens.”

And, here are quotes from Taylor Swift who speaks so many truths in her music.

* “Silence speaks so much louder than screaming tantrums. Never give anyone an excuse to say that you’re crazy.”

* "You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes" – "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince" from Lover.

* "How can a person know everything at eighteen / But nothin' at twenty-two?" – "Nothing New" from Red.

* "I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me" – "New Romantics" from 1989.

* “Giving up doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes you’re just strong enough to let go.”

* “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

[Quotes borrowed from the following websites: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/taylor-swift-quotes, https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/12/13/taylor-swift-songs-30-best-lyrics-all-her-albums/4179419002/, https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/president-obama-the-legacy/15-most-telling-quotes-obama-s-presidency-n703081, https://dailystoic.com/marcus-aurelius-daily-habits/, https://www.academia.edu/921421/The_Meditations_of_Marcus_Aurelius, and https://www.inhersight.com/blog/women-to-know/michelle-obama-quotes)

What quotes inspire you, sustain you, make you want to be a better person, are cautionary? Please share them in the Comments section below if you are reading this on social media or send them to me at reimaginelife22@gmail.com. Thank you for reading this blog essay; I invite you to subscribe to my blog at www.reimaginelifecoach.com.