I lost my Airpods this morning. They may show up later, but for the time being, gone.
As a father of a 1-year old, private/alone time is precious. There are four-hours of audio for two books I'm trying to finish, and I have a 90-minute run today. There's little I can do to occupy my mind on a long-run, so audiobooks and podcasts are essential (yes, essential.)
So, to my surprise, I found the loss of these little white wireless bastards a major hit to my positive state of mind.
Last night.
I'm training for a triathlon and, as I mentioned moments ago, having time alone is precious. Earlier in the week my bike tire got a flat. I'm new to fixing a flat, so they take me longer than a "trained professional."
After an hour or so of YouTube and wrenching my fingers into a wheel frame, I fixed the flat! Because I used up 60-minutes of my 120-minute ride time, I had to combine a meeting with a ride on a bike-trainer (similar to a stationary bike, but with a real bike in a bike-mount).
00:12:36 minutes into the 2-hour ride the tire went flat again - damn! Let the mourning being.
From time to time, I pick up my copy of "The Daily Stoic" by Ryan Holiday. I don't consider myself a stoic (I'm not a thousand years old.) However, I like the short/concise nature of many stoic principles. Often, when I'm in a life-pinch, I pick it up and read the day's except. Without fail, it applies.
Now, it might be divine intervention; or it might be that, like a good palm reading, I will find a way to make any generalizable advice, applicable. Regardless, today's except was spot on.
"This is the mark of perfection of character - to spend each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, laziness, or any pretending." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.69
As Ryan puts it in the book:
"...Can you actually live today like it is your last day? Is it even possible to embody completeness or perfection in our ethos (character)... Maybe not. But if trying was enough for the Stoics, it should be enough for us too.
Today, I will commit to trying. Today, I will be okay with almost. Today, I will accept the sound of silence as the sound of acceptance: of being human.
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