8 Life Lessons From An Ancient Roman to His Friend
It turns out that many of the problems we face in modern life were also shared by the ancient romans
In a 2,000 year old letter written by the Roman statesman and doctor, Seneca to his friend, Serenus there are important life lessons that still ring true for us today. Suffering from a fear of the unknown, depressed about the vices he has, and feeling lost, Serenus looks to his old friend to help free him from his funk.
I’m sure that old Seneca had no idea that his private letter, known to us as On The Shortness of Life, would be discussed thousands of years after his death; but, you never know maybe Kim Kardashian’s tweets will have the same legacy.
Here are a few of the best life lessons from Life:
8. Live a life of moderation
“There is a big difference between living simply and living carelessly.”
You’ve heard this old chestnut before, but Seneca’s spin on a life of moderation includes finding a balance in what we should desire. When our goals are too lofty or when we pursue a goal that has us biting off more than we can chew; we are bound to fail. When we are careless in the way that we live, i.e. insensitive to others, selfish, or apathetic for example, we upset the balance that allows chaos to enter.
