You Might Be Sick and Not Know It
You need this medicine
As we get physically weaker, we feel more pain.
As we get spiritually weaker, we feel less pain.
If I roll my ankle, it hurts a little. If I keep walking and sprain it, it hurts more. If I play basketball on it and break it, it hurts even more. The weaker my ankle gets, the more pain I’m in.
If I’m a little sad, it hurts. If I’m very sad, it hurts more. If I’m very sad for a week, it hurts less. If I’m very sad for months it hurts even less. There’s a numbing effect. But only to a degree. It numbs everything - your happiness, excitement, and gratitude as well. Then what is the point of life?
If I’m constantly numbed by my weak spirit, I live a dulled version of life. Why do we not then prioritize our spiritual well-being more?
I’d miss any commitment if I broke my leg or caught a major disease. But would I miss anything because I was feeling disheartened? Never. WHY! I have little to gain from all my busyness if I’m so spiritually sick that I can’t feel it.
The next logical question is how do I fix my spirit? With philosophy. And not philosophy in passing, whenever I have time, but actually prioritizing my practice of philosophy.
Philosophy’s usually seen in a funny way nowadays. People picture a stuffy man in a fancy suit, babbling about big words and ideas that are too hard dumb to understand. But let me tell you, philosophy is much more interesting and helpful than that!
Philosophy is how we take care of our minds. It’s how we take control of our minds. It gives us direction and makes us strong. These are important pieces of life! What is life without them? It’s random, it’s often unpleasant and it’s happening TO you, not WITH you.
So grab a journal and a book. A book by a great old philosopher (Aurelius, Seneca, Montaigne…) or if that’s too hard now, a modern philosopher, like Ryan Holiday. Read, reflect and write. Schedule time everyday. Think of it as a workout for your mind, your most important muscle.
And if you’re saying, I don’t feel in pain I don’t need to do this, remember — as we get spiritually weaker, we feel less pain.
“Why does no one admit his failings? Because he’s still deep in them.” (Seneca’s Letters to Lucilius, LIII)
Question of The Day
Do you feel no pain? Are you so wise to be above it or are you so numb to not feel it?
Your Friend,
Noah “BigNerd” Sochaczevski