Morning remainder (IM 798)

Marcus Aurelius remined himself every morning with some important thoughts that he included in his journal. In this hurried world where everyone is busy with their own stuffs and are overwhelmed by their circumstances, I find these lessons very helpful. Here is this important lessons that everyone should be aware of: In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present - I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bed-clothes and keep myself warm? But this is more pleasant. Doth thou exist to take thy pleasure, and not at all for actions or exertion? Doth thou not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spider, the bees, working together to put in order their several parts of the universe? And art thou unwilling to do the work of human beings, and dost thou not make haste to do that which , according to thy nature? But it is necessary to take rest also. -  It is necessary. However, nature has fixed the bounds to do this too. He has fixed bounds to eating and drinking, and yet thou goes beyond these bounds, beyond what is sufficient; yet in thy acts it is not so, but thou stoppest short of what thou canst do. So thou lovest not thyself, for if thou didst, thou wouldst love thy nature and her will. But those who love their several arts exhaust themselves in working at them unwashed and without food; but thou valuest thy own nature less than the turner values the turning art, or the dancer the dancing art, or the lover of money values his money, or the vain-glorious man his little glory. And such men, when they have a violent affection to a thing, choose neither to eat nor to sleep rather than to perfect the things which they care for. But are the acts which concern society more vile in thy eyes and less worthy of thy labor?”