Saturday Musings

It's day 263 of documenting 2025.

#Latepost

And I could have prevented this...

I think it was after I published yesterday's post that I came up with an idea for this post.

Then I was like, "meh...I could do it tomorrow".

Here we are!

My Saturday morning was quite busy, with an early start to write a particular letter...and then some laundry.

I also washed my footwear for next week, as well as the new-ish bag I would be using.

Can't wait to rock it on Monday 😁

Then laundry was done...

I remembered the home-tutoring session I had and prepared for it immediately.

Towards the end of the session, I was given a little "bonus".

My expenses for next week, miraculously taken care of!

Thank God for His provision 🙏🏼

Went back home....chatted with a few friends and then made lunch for my siblings.

After lunch, I had to walk all the way to my dad's shop to get what I would use to make dinner.

The walk was okay tho....it was needed workout for my legs.

Came back by evening, made a big pot of dinner...and then the day was pretty much over!

The power was misbehaving....with less than an hour of light before an outage.

Same thing happened just an hour ago...how disappointing 😒

That's how my Saturday went...lots of activity and not even an hour for a nap or some "me time".

I guess the night will make up for that...

Alright, let's get into Highlights for today...and then I'll see if I have any more thoughts to share.

365 Days With Self-discipline 

📌 On Thinking for Yourself 

"You and you alone are the sole arbiter of the meaning in your life.

The second you turn to someone and say, "What does life mean?” or,

“What should my life mean?” you

have slipped into a mind-set that courts inauthenticity and depression. 

The second you agree with someone simply because of her position or reputation, whether that someone is a guru, author, cleric, parent, politician, general, or elder, you fall from the path of personal meaning-maker."

Quote by Eric Maisel

One of the things I emphasize in every book is that I’m not a guru nor do I wish to be one. 

I don’t want you to take my advice at face value, assuming that it’s right simply because I share it in my book.

Agreeing with somebody simply because of their position or reputation is dangerous, because you’re essentially delegating your thinking process to this person. 

I make mistakes, you make mistakes, and even the world’s most successful performers make mistakes.

Moreover, what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another person. 

For example, I often take the extreme approach, which usually works out fine for me, but might hurt another person who isn’t used to pushing their limits in such a way. 

Granted, you won’t know which approach is good for you until you test it for yourself, but it’s important to think before you act and to question any advice, including the tips you find in this book.

Finally, don’t make the mistake of letting others decide the meaning of your life. 

You, and only you, can figure out how you want to live your life and what you want to get out of it.

Following somebody else’s recipe for an “ideal” life is a recipe for depression. 

Even if your dreams are considered weird by others, it doesn’t make them incorrect. 

They’re your dreams, and that’s the only thing that counts for them to be valid.

Hmm 🤔 

How about following God's recipe for an ideal life?

That's a recipe for happiness and freedom.

And God's recipe can be found in the Bible, which isn't a book of religion as many think it is.

That's my two cents on the topic.

By the way, I shared the whole note...and the person referring to himself as "I" is the author.

Martin Meadows ✍🏼 

Keep up the good work, Martin!

(Haven't met the guy...just from his books )

Any other thoughts I would like to add? Not really....

Let's see a few quotes from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

(Okay, I confess; I want to make the post longer 😑)

Meditations 

📌 Book 6

13. Like seeing roasted meat and other dishes in front of you and suddenly realizing: This is a dead fish. A dead bird. A dead pig. 

Or that this noble vintage is grape juice, and the purple robes are sheep wool dyed with shellfish blood. 

Or making love—something rubbing against your penis, a brief seizure and a little cloudy liquid.

Perceptions like that—latching onto things and piercing through them, so we see what they really are.

That’s what we need to do all the time—all through our lives when things lay claim to our trust—to lay them bare and see how pointless they are, to strip away the legend that encrusts them.

Pride is a master of deception: when you think you’re occupied in the weightiest business, that’s when he has you in his spell.

(Compare Crates on Xenocrates.)

14. Things ordinary people are impressed by fall into the categories of things that are held together by simple physics (like stones or wood), or by natural growth (figs, vines, olives . . .). 

Those admired by more advanced

minds are held together by a living soul (flocks of sheep, herds of cows).

Still more sophisticated people admire what is guided by a rational mind—not the universal mind, but one admired for its technical knowledge, or for some other skill—or just because it happens to own a lot of slaves.

But those who revere that other mind—the one we all share, as humans and as citizens—aren’t interested in other things. 

Their focus is on the state of their own minds—to avoid all selfishness and illogic, and to work with others to achieve that goal.

Now this time, I'm puzzled 🧐

These are so very direct...and at the same time, cryptic.

But let's see what AI says about them.

(Not my assistant tho...)

13.

Marcus Aurelius warns against being deceived by appearances. 

He uses vivid examples to illustrate how things we desire or admire can be stripped of their allure when seen for what they truly are:

- Roasted meat: What seems appetizing is actually "a dead fish" or "a dead bird."

- Luxury items: "Noble vintage" is just "grape juice," and "purple robes" are made from "sheep wool dyed with shellfish blood."

- Pleasure: Even intense physical experiences are reduced to their basic, fleeting nature.

He emphasizes the importance of piercing through the surface level to understand the true nature of things. 

This helps us avoid being misled by pride and deception, especially when we're caught up in what we think is important.

14.

Marcus Aurelius categorizes things people admire into different levels of complexity and appreciation:

1. Basic physical objects: Things like stones or wood, held together by simple physical laws.

2. Natural growth: Plants like figs, vines, and olives, which grow and thrive according to natural principles.

3. Living creatures: Animals, like sheep or cows, which are sustained by a living soul.

4. Technical skill: Things admired for their complexity, like craftsmanship or owning many slaves.

5. Rational mind: The highest level of appreciation is reserved for those who focus on the universal mind and the well-being of society.

He highlights the importance of prioritizing the state of one's own mind and working with others to achieve a common goal, rather than being consumed by selfish desires or superficial pursuits.

Okay, now this is a better explanation 😄

Thank God for creations like AI.

I didn't even know he was talking about several categories!

Anyways, I hope you understand it now..like I just did.

Well, let's end on a hopeful note.

I hope the new week comes with blessings.

Blessings that surprise us and make us more grateful to our Maker.

And I believe God will do it 😌

That's all for today's post.

Thanks for reading 🎀 

To see some of my other content apart from this blog, visit my Selar store.

See you in the next post 💜