I saw a man grieving loudly at the bedside of his mother, weeping that she had taken too much time from him. He believed if only he could hold her hand longer, or force the gods to spare her, his sorrow would vanish. He did not see that his grief was born of a false judgment, believing another’s life belonged to his control. I told him that wishing for what is not yours is like trying to drink the sea; you will only fill your cup with salt and drown yourself in the effort. The moment he accepted her departure as outside his power, the weight lifted, though the loss remained.

Now turn your eyes inward and ask yourself where you are foolish today. Do you demand that a child obey when you cannot command their soul? Do you rage because a friend speaks poorly of you? Stop wishing others to be different or to stay forever. Instead, wish only for your own will to remain steady. If you can keep your desire aligned with reality, no external event can enslave you. Go now and check your desires against this truth before the day ends.