00:00:21Ready for Adversity
00:01:08Garfield at the Door
00:02:10Prepared to Answer
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Today’s episode reads a passage from The Daily Stoic emphasizing that we should not wish for hardships, but must cultivate the virtue that makes them bearable. Seneca urges preparedness and courage in the face of torture, war, or illness.
The host connects this idea to President James Garfield, who faced national division with steady resolve, showing how inner readiness and honor matter when crisis arrives.
In short, expect that difficulty may come and train your mind now so you can meet it with bravery and composure.
English
United States
SHOW NOTES 🔗
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:08.081 --> 00:00:17.245
Salutations, everyone. It is Monday, June the 22nd, and today we're reading
00:00:17.245 --> 00:00:20.985
The Daily Stoic, ready and at home.
00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:27.963
I may wish to be free from torture, but if the time comes for me to endure it,
00:00:28.926 --> 00:00:33.338
I'll wish to bear it courageously with bravery and honor.
00:00:34.609 --> 00:00:37.750
Wouldn't I prefer not to fall into war?
00:00:38.644 --> 00:00:43.835
But if war does befall me, I wish to carry nobly the wounds,
00:00:43.835 --> 00:00:47.102
starvation, and other necessities of war.
00:00:48.089 --> 00:00:54.155
Neither am I so crazy as to desire illness, but if I must suffer illness,
00:00:54.590 --> 00:00:58.044
I wish to do nothing rash or dishonorable.
00:00:58.739 --> 00:01:07.928
The point is not to wish for these adversities, but for the virtue that makes adversities bearable.
00:01:08.944 --> 00:01:15.545
Seneca Moral Letters President James Garfield was a great man,
00:01:16.462 --> 00:01:22.969
raised in humble circumstances, self-educated, and eventually a Civil War hero.
00:01:24.298 --> 00:01:28.031
Whose presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullet.
00:01:28.751 --> 00:01:33.685
In his brief time in office, he faced a bitterly divided country,
00:01:34.091 --> 00:01:38.027
as well as a bitterly and internally divided Republican Party.
00:01:38.741 --> 00:01:42.729
During one fight, which challenged the very authority of his office,
00:01:43.072 --> 00:01:49.614
he stood firm, telling an advisor, of course I deprecate war,
00:01:50.978 --> 00:01:55.883
but if it is brought to my door, the bringer will find me at home.
00:01:59.632 --> 00:02:04.751
That's what Seneca is saying here. We'd be crazy to want to face difficulty
00:02:04.751 --> 00:02:09.878
in life, but we'd be equally crazy to pretend that it isn't going to happen.
00:02:10.795 --> 00:02:15.996
Which is why when it knocks on our door, as it very well made this morning,
00:02:16.693 --> 00:02:19.154
let's make sure we are prepared to answer.
00:02:20.460 --> 00:02:26.556
Not the way we are surprised when a visitor comes late at night,
00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:30.428
but the way we are when we're waiting for an important guest,
00:02:30.985 --> 00:02:34.363
dressed in the right head space and ready to go.
00:02:37.545 --> 00:02:40.517
We just have to be mentally prepared for whatever comes our way.
00:00:08.081 --> 00:00:17.245
Salutations, everyone. It is Monday, June the 22nd, and today we're reading
00:00:17.245 --> 00:00:20.985
The Daily Stoic, ready and at home.
00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:27.963
I may wish to be free from torture, but if the time comes for me to endure it,
00:00:28.926 --> 00:00:33.338
I'll wish to bear it courageously with bravery and honor.
00:00:34.609 --> 00:00:37.750
Wouldn't I prefer not to fall into war?
00:00:38.644 --> 00:00:43.835
But if war does befall me, I wish to carry nobly the wounds,
00:00:43.835 --> 00:00:47.102
starvation, and other necessities of war.
00:00:48.089 --> 00:00:54.155
Neither am I so crazy as to desire illness, but if I must suffer illness,
00:00:54.590 --> 00:00:58.044
I wish to do nothing rash or dishonorable.
00:00:58.739 --> 00:01:07.928
The point is not to wish for these adversities, but for the virtue that makes adversities bearable.
00:01:08.944 --> 00:01:15.545
Seneca Moral Letters President James Garfield was a great man,
00:01:16.462 --> 00:01:22.969
raised in humble circumstances, self-educated, and eventually a Civil War hero.
00:01:24.298 --> 00:01:28.031
Whose presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullet.
00:01:28.751 --> 00:01:33.685
In his brief time in office, he faced a bitterly divided country,
00:01:34.091 --> 00:01:38.027
as well as a bitterly and internally divided Republican Party.
00:01:38.741 --> 00:01:42.729
During one fight, which challenged the very authority of his office,
00:01:43.072 --> 00:01:49.614
he stood firm, telling an advisor, of course I deprecate war,
00:01:50.978 --> 00:01:55.883
but if it is brought to my door, the bringer will find me at home.
00:01:59.632 --> 00:02:04.751
That's what Seneca is saying here. We'd be crazy to want to face difficulty
00:02:04.751 --> 00:02:09.878
in life, but we'd be equally crazy to pretend that it isn't going to happen.
00:02:10.795 --> 00:02:15.996
Which is why when it knocks on our door, as it very well made this morning,
00:02:16.693 --> 00:02:19.154
let's make sure we are prepared to answer.
00:02:20.460 --> 00:02:26.556
Not the way we are surprised when a visitor comes late at night,
00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:30.428
but the way we are when we're waiting for an important guest,
00:02:30.985 --> 00:02:34.363
dressed in the right head space and ready to go.
00:02:37.545 --> 00:02:40.517
We just have to be mentally prepared for whatever comes our way.
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