“I was shipwrecked before I even boarded… the journey showed me this — how much of what we have is unnecessary, and how easily we can decide to rid ourselves of these things whenever it’s necessary, never suffering the loss.”
SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 87.1
Fate may throw us a curveball — but that can sometimes also open up new doors. Destiny may lead us down a dark alley, but sometimes there is a brand new trail that begins at the end of that alley.
That which seems to be a negative event or a calamity on the surface may very end up being the catalyst for a new beginning, and a great new opportunity, if we let it. In some ways, we should prepare for the worst, and not simply to lessen the blow of disappointment but also to be ready to grab those new opportunities when they present themselves.
The author of The Daily Stoic seems to not pay much attention to the second half of Seneca’s quote in today’s entry, but I think that’s the most important part: through unexpected twists and turns of fate, we learn how little we need all the possessions and trappings of life which constrain us. We can get rid of these things either voluntarily or involuntarily, but in the end we realize they weren’t so necessary after all, and not such a big loss.
