The journal of an emperor,
The letters of a statesman doomed,
The lectures of a former slave,
Are all the works that come to us
From half a century of thoughts
Sojourning on a painted porch.
And yet, in every century
They find a champion of their cause,
And many strong practitioners,
And many weak pretenders too,
And many who appropriate
This way of life into their own:
Remember that you too will die.
Embrace your fate, though good or bad.
You don’t control what falls on you,
But do control how you respond.
Do not lament. Do not revel.
Just focus on what’s in your hand.
The obstacle becomes the way
When actions come from virtues four
Of Justice, Courage, Temperance,
And Wisdom showing which is what.
Your self is all there is to rule,
But don’t remain within yourself.
Participate responsibly
To shoulder everything you can.
And when you can’t, rebuild yourself.
Make every moment worth the while.
Remember that you too will die.
Minakhi Misra 