“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” ― Epictetus
Me: Stay still just for one frigging minute!
Ladybird: Why? I am a being who moves, why else would I have wings and feet.
Me: I want to take a photo of you.
Ladybird: And how exactly does this concern me?
Me: Because you’re my subject.
Ladybird: No, I am an object to you and I object to you and your want.
Me: What do you mean by that!?!
Ladybird: If I were a subject to you, you would study me as I am, moving. You would seek to understand me, and therefore realise that it is in my nature to move. You would be interested in me as a being who is separate from you. A subject is not an object which you want to capture, it is a fluid essence of life, which moves and keeps moving.
Me: I just want you to stop for a minute so I can take a photo of you, that is all!
Ladybird: You humans are a species that wants, and somehow think your wants are the concern of others. Your want is not my concern. If I concern myself with your want, and fulfill it… that is not all, you will have more.
Me: But you’re so beautiful!
Ladybird: Everything is beautiful, there is nothing special about it, it is just the way it is.
Me: I’m taking this shot anyway, whether you stay still or not!
Ladybird: Now that is beautiful… maybe you’ll understand it some day.
Me: I want to understand it now!
Ladybird: ………………… *flies away
Diggin’ the story. Diggin’ the cartoon. But you already know I dig Epictetus. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
I’m so tempted to ask you… but I won’t.
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….?
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Your story embodies perfectly your philosophy! And I love your picture too.
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Thank you 🙂
I always check what I do to see if it goes with what I say… sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t… all a part of being. We are who we are… we just take a while accepting it.
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Loved this reminder. Awesome job.
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Thank you 🙂
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This made me smile!
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You have a very beautiful smile 🙂
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Great message to share. 🙂
-ISpontein
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Thank you 🙂
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