Make it Happen

In section nine, Epictetus implies here that the will and the mind are not affected by what happens in the body. While physical pain can be excruciating, if the will is not diminished, then pain will not result in anything. Will cannot be hurt by pain. Will is the last thing we should loose. Section twenty-one is one that I find I agree with in certain ways. I have always seen pain as an element that puts our strength to the test. When we deal with difficult situations and painful experiences, these make us stronger. “Let death and exile, and all other things which appear terrible, be daily before your eyes, but death chiefly; and you will never entertain any abject thought, not too eagerly covet anything.” (Epictetus, 21). What I can infer from this is that when you prepare yourself for the worst, you become safe, for you can be either surprised by a better result, or vaguely affected if it goes wrong because you expected it already. But on the other hand, I think it is also best to hope. Hope and will are weapons that can also come to influence what happens to you. I partly agree with what Epictetus says in this section because I do think it is safer to be prepared for the worst, but at the same time, your attitude towards things can also make a difference. In some way, nothing happens unless you make it happen.