On the Shortness of Life

The Stoic writings of the philosopher Seneca offer powerful insights into the art of living.

Favorite quotes from the book:

“You act like mortals in all that you fear, and like immortals in all that you desire”

“It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much. ... The life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully.”

“They lose the day in expectation of the night, and the night in fear of the dawn.”

“People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.”