• About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Our Leadership
    • ADF: A Druid Fellowship
    • Photos
  • Services
  • Calendar
  • Resources & Social Justice
  • Membership
  • Blogs
    • Prairie Tidings (Church Blog)
    • Rev. Badger's 2019 Stoic Blog
    • The Practical Bard (Rev. Missy's Blog)
    • Little Druid on the Prairie (Rev. Lauren's Blog)
  • Policies
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Our Leadership
    • ADF: A Druid Fellowship
    • Photos
  • Services
  • Calendar
  • Resources & Social Justice
  • Membership
  • Blogs
    • Prairie Tidings (Church Blog)
    • Rev. Badger's 2019 Stoic Blog
    • The Practical Bard (Rev. Missy's Blog)
    • Little Druid on the Prairie (Rev. Lauren's Blog)
  • Policies
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
Mountain Ancestors Grove, ADF

A Year of Contemplation

Wherever You Go, There Your Choice Is (Day 19)

1/19/2019

 
Epictetus, for a time, a slave.
Marcus Aurelius, for much of life, an emperor.
Nelson Mandela, for a time, a prisoner.

Each of the above-mentioned people, over the course of their lives, found themselves, I’m sure, in the throes of Fortune’s storm or in the barren desert of Fate. Such is the nature of things. We aspire, we succeed, we fail… over and over and over.

The “high”we feel when dreaming, planning, hoping, and working toward success is addicting, and can only be tempered with humility. Once we’ve succeeded, it’s grace that grounds us, rooting us. Finally, in our failures, if we’re without the quality of resilience, we will most surely break.

But, how do we develop the clarity we need to face any situation feeling resolved, strong, and perhaps even wise?

By diligently being mindful toward what is in our control, and what isn’t.

Epictetus could not control his status as a slave, only his mind.

Marcus Aurelius could have abdicated, but then he’d have left Rome in a terrible position. He had to control his mind, and his choices for the betterment of a nation.

Nelson Mandela, during the time he was jailed, turned to the words of Marcus Aurelius (Meditations), and although he couldn’t control whether he was free or not, he could control his spirit and his choices.

Clarity is the constant awareness of our own freedom of choice. Where and who we are does not matter. Only our choices… what they are, how we evaluate them, how will we make the most of them.

Regardless of our status of rich or poor, free or slave, the Where, Who, What, and How of our choices are life’s only questions.

Answer with virtue.

(See y’all tomorrow)

Comments are closed.

    About the Blog

    Awakening the desire to explore Stoicism, and how it relates to his existing beliefs, Rev. William committed to working through the text, The Daily Stoic, a year-long journey to awaken the Stoic mind. 
    How things are structured can be found in the first post. 

    About the Author

    Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Rev. William attended Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado where in 2007 he graduated with a degree in Religious Studies, minoring in Psychology. Currently residing in Longmont, CO, he is one of the Priests and founder of Mountain Ancestors Grove.  He spends his time playing mandolin (and some guitar), writing, engaging in LGBTQIA+ advocacy and education, community service, and sharing a larger vision of how a polytheist perspective can lead to greater human understanding, acceptance, and gods be good, peace. 

    Archives

    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.