Dear Friends,
Thank you for reading and listening this week! Below is a short contemplation on the secret of long life and links to this week’s meditations. Until next week, be wise and be well!
📿 The Secret of Long Life
This week’s contemplation comes from a short book by the philosopher and Jesuit theologian Baltasar Gracián (1601-1658). In The Art of Worldly Wisdom, Gracián writes,
Lead a good life. Two things bring life speedily to an end: folly and immortality. Some lose their life because they do not have the intelligence to keep it, others because they do not have the will. Just as virtue is its own reward, vice is its own punishment. He who lives a fast life runs through life in a double sense. A virtuous life never dies. The firmness of the soul is communicated to the body, and a good life is long not only in intention but also in extension.
Contemplation Questions (Pick one or create your own!):
What is the good life?
How does one avoid vice in daily life?
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Thank you for reading/listening this week; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W.
P.S. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or make suggestions!