June 03, 2026

Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

Epictetus wrote this as a formerly enslaved man who had experienced firsthand what it meant to have no control over his circumstances. He taught in Nicopolis, Greece, drawing students who were often wealthy and powerful, and his central argument was that freedom comes from accepting what you cannot change. When we stop fighting reality, we free up energy to actually care for the people in front of us — which is where love becomes practical rather than just an intention.