Edgewise

Thanksgiving from The Buddha

David Kolodney

Let us rise up and be thankful,
for if we didn’t learn a lot today,
at least we learned a little,
and if we didn’t learn a little,
at least we didn’t get sick,
and if we got sick,
at least we didn’t die;
so, let us be thankful.

-The Buddha

The last part fits well with something the Stoic philosopher Epictitus said: “If I am afraid I am not dead, and if I am dead I am not afraid.”

An interesting story about Epictitus, who was a slave. His master was twisting his arm. He said to his master, “If you twist my arm any further, you will break it.” But he kept twisting. And the arm broke. Epictitus said, “You see.”

Love,

David