Hardship and Happiness (Ad Marciam De consolatione, Ad Helviam matrem De consolatione, De Consolatione ad Polybium, De Brevitate Vitæ, De Constantia Sapientis, De Tranquillitate Animi, De Otio, De Vita Beata, De Providentia)

by Seneca

Do you not see what sort of life nature promised us, when it decided that the first thing human beings do at their birth should be to cry?12 This is our starting point when we come into the world, and the entire sequence of succeeding years follows the pattern. We live our lives on these terms, and so we should exercise moderation when doing what we have to do so often; and as we glance behind us at all the forms of sorrow that are at our backs, threatening us, we ought, if not to put a complete stop to our tears, at least to hold them in reserve. There is nothing we should use more sparingly than what we need so frequently.

Hmm