The One Quick Quote by Marcus Aurelius I Try to Live By

The one thing you could regret your whole life.

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Each morning, I wake up to life. Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor, reminded himself of that simple truth to appreciate life more. He called life a “precious privilege.”

In those words, he saw something many of us miss. He understood that being alive is more than simply existing. Life is both absurd and beautiful. Every morning, I open my eyes to that mystery.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love,” Aurelius wrote.

I try to live by that quote daily.

The simple act of waking up is a miracle. It’s something I do every day without thinking. My body, mind, and breath align for another day. Each of these is fragile. The heart beats without my control, the lungs expand without my asking.

I am alive because my body performs a miracle each second. Stoics saw this as a reminder of humility. I control very little, yet here I am, sustained by forces far bigger than myself.

I breathe, I think, I feel, I love. These are small miracles we take for granted. Imagine the alternative — no breath, no thought, no experience of love…