If You Need A Friend…

In her beautiful book about the Los Angeles Public Library fire, Susan Orlean captures the magic of what libraries can offer. She describes walking through the empty library in Downtown LA, not a soul in sight, and feeling connected to all the different voices represented on the millions of pages that surround her. “A library is a good place to soften solitude,” she writes, “a place where you feel part of a conversation that has gone on for hundreds and hundreds of years even when you’re all alone. The library is a whispering post. You don’t need to take a book off the shelf to know there is a voice inside that is waiting to speak to you, and behind that was someone who truly believed that if he or she spoke, someone would listen.” Books, in this way, are wonderful friends. They are always there. They speak wisdom, but offer their advice quietly. They have an unlimited capacity for listening. They offer so much and ask for essentially nothing in return. We can say the same about philosophy, which, of course, mostly comes to us in the form of books. As Seneca said, philosophy offers counsel. It does not yell. It levels no personal attacks. No, it calls for you to be better. It is there whenever and wherever you need it. It softens our solitude. It is a true friend. Books, especially those about philosophy, are that friend who should always be within arm’s reach, who we should turn to constantly. Today, when we have some downtime. Next week when we run into some trouble. In the morning when we are lonely or struggling to start the day. Pick up a book. Read a passage. Listen to the person who truly believed that if they spoke—if they wrote—someone would listen and that it would make a difference. They weren’t wrong. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

• 0:06Speaker 00

  Welcome to The Daily Stoic, where each day we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2,000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com.

• 0:28Speaker 00

  If you need a friend. In her beautiful book about the Los Angeles Public Library fire, Susan Orlean captures the magic of what libraries can offer. She describes walking through the empty library in downtown LA, not a soul in sight, and feeling connected to all the voices represented on the millions of pages that surround her. "A library is a good place to soften solitude," she writes, "a place where you feel part of a conversation that has gone on for hundreds and hundreds of years, even when you are all alone." "The library is a whispering post," she said, "you don't need to take a book off the shelf to know there is a voice inside that is waiting to speak to you, and behind that was someone who truly believed that

• 1:12Speaker 00

  if he or she spoke, someone would listen." Books, in this way, are wonderful friends. They are always there. They speak wisdom, but offer their advice quietly. They have an unlimited capacity for listening. They offer so much and ask for essentially nothing in return. We can say the same about philosophy, which, of course, mostly comes to us in the form of books. As Seneca said, "Philosophy offers counsel, does not yell, levels no personal attacks. No, it calls for you to be better. It is there whenever and wherever you need it. It softens our solitude. It is a true friend." Books, especially those

• 1:52Speaker 00

  about philosophy, are that friend who should always be within arm's reach, who we should turn to constantly. So today, when we have some downtime, next week, when we run into trouble, in the morning, when we are lonely or struggling to start the day, pick up a book, read a passage, listen to the person who truly believed that if they spoke, if they wrote, someone would listen, and that it would make a difference. They weren't wrong. Memento Mori, remember death, remember you are mortal. Or as Marcus Aurelius said, "You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think." I actually wear this reminder in a signet ring on my finger,

• 2:33Speaker 00

  one of the most ancient and, I think, meaningful forms of jewelry there is. I wear it on my right ring finger. And we now make a Memento Mori Signet Ring in the Daily Stoic Stoic. You can check it out at dailystoic.com/store.