Straight To The Point

The Handbook of Epictetus starts the reader off by going straight to the point: “Some things are up to us and some are not up to us” (1). It does not mention a character or a silly story but it lets the reader know what he needs to learn. This first sentence can summarize what human suffering is all about. As normal human beings we suffer about anything. If we were to accept that we cannot control everything we would live happier lives. It is human nature to assume that you can control and decide what happens with everything. This theory is wrong. As I continued reading I found out that “What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgment about things” (5). This is explaining our suffering in a single phrase. It is necessary to let go of things that we cannot keep. If we are able to follow this principle things will be better off. At this point in my writing I asked myself what life would be like if I had no affection for things that could disappear. It would be even worst than if I did get attached. The reader has a much greater job with the Handbook of Epictetus. He can not just read and assume that everything is literal. I discovered this when reading a little closer at what it was saying, and I realized that what the handbook meant was to know when to let go of things you love. A great example would be the death of a loved one. You must enjoy them while they are alive but let them go when they die.

Later on I made a comparison with a movie I watched recently in ethics. The movie was called Peaceful Warrior. It mentioned how what was important was not the result but the journey you took to get the result. You are not always responsible for what will happen to your life, but you are responsible about what you do with what is given to you. If you are able to accept this and focus on the present and not on the future you will do well for yourself. Without knowing it we pass on great opportunities for knowledge. If we are able to grasp everything that is given to us no one will have an excuse for failure.