Accept What Happens
Principle 7 from the Enchiridion
Epictetus compares life to a temporary stop on a sea voyage and reminds us to stay ready to leave when we are called.
Original Passage
Consider when, on a voyage, your ship is anchored; if you go on shore to get water you may along the way amuse yourself with picking up a shellfish, or an onion. However, your thoughts and continual attention ought to be bent towards the ship, waiting for the captain to call on board; you must then immediately leave all these things, otherwise you will be thrown into the ship, bound neck and feet like a sheep. So it is with life. If, instead of an onion or a shellfish, you are given a wife or child, that is fine. But if the captain calls, you must run to the ship, leaving them, and regarding none of them. But if you are old, never go far from the ship: lest, when you are called, you should be unable to come in time.
Modern Interpretation
Epictetus compares life to a temporary stop on a sea journey. We may enjoy what appears along the way, but we must remember that we are travelers, not owners of what we encounter. The "captain" symbolizes fate, time, and death, which can call us at any moment.
The point is not to reject family or daily joys. It is to hold them with gratitude and readiness. Love deeply, but without the illusion that anything is permanently yours. When people cling as if life owes them more time, they are shattered when change arrives.
Stoic readiness means living in a way that would not leave you spiritually unprepared if called today. Keep your priorities clear. Do not drift too far into distraction, greed, or delay. Enjoy what is given, but stay oriented toward what matters most: a good mind and a good life.
In Practice Today
You keep postponing important conversations with family because work feels urgent. Weeks pass, then months. A sudden health scare reminds you how quickly circumstances can change.
A Stoic response is not panic—it is realignment. You still work and handle responsibilities, but you stop treating meaningful relationships as optional leftovers. You call, visit, apologize, and express care now, not "someday."
Living ready to depart does not make you gloomy. It makes you present and less wasteful with time.
Reflection Question
If life called you unexpectedly today, what unfinished priorities would you wish you had acted on sooner?