Linearity
Daily Meditation 602–10/20/2023
We often tend to plan in a way that conforms to linearity.
“First I’ll ask her out, then we will have a few more dates, then we will have sex, then we will date a few years, then get married”
“I have $300 left over after every paycheck. I will invest it in stock X which pays a 3% dividend. Over the next 10 years, it will become worth over $70,000”
“We will leave at 6am, get gas at 8am in this city, eat breakfast there, too, and then arrive at the airport at 1pm. Flight is at 2:30.”
Life is seldom linear.
The plans you had with your lovely lady are derailed as you discover 3 years of infidelity.
The savings suddenly are wiped out when you have a horrible car accident.
The trip to the airport is dangerously close with “surprise” traffic jams and breakfast hold ups…
We can truly plan every facet of our lives, and in many cases it really is beneficial.
Our fitness and finances especially benefit from this.
But, regardless of our planning, we should be prepared for inconveniences, interruptions, and bad incidences which derail and destroy.
We do this with our Death Meditations. We think (meditate, in fact) on death and mortality and illness so that when it inevitably comes to pass, perhaps we aren’t quite so surprised. Sure, when we ourselves die it’s probably “surprising” (supposing it’s an accident or choking, perhaps), but our loved ones, family, etc., we can be better mentally prepared for.
And we can apply the same line of reasoning and meditation to our broader life.
The woman you planned to take to prom, then date, then marry, have children with and grow old with was cheating? More time for you to learn about the self.
The money you saved and planned to retire with got chopped in half from a “surprise” recession or crash? Great opportunity to see just how frugal you can be.
The trip you were supposed to go on but missed the plane? Perhaps it was for the best and you would’ve crashed, been mugged, or have gotten horribly sick.
We tend to negatively react to plans going awry when, instead, we should shrug and seek for the better perception of things, meditating on them.
So — plan, plan, plan and certainly be prepared…
But like Death Meditation…also be prepared to be surprised.
Hit the ✉️Email Subscribe✉️ button to get these DAILY in your inbox!
Follow for daily philosophical meditations.
These are distillations from my coming book “YouDaimonia: the Ancient Philosophy of Human Flourishing.”
