Meditations is a deep book. There, I said it. Written by perhaps the most powerful man in history—the emperor of Rome during its most prosperous period. But, interestingly, it’s not a book at all. It’s his personal journal, never intended for public eyes. And because of that, you won’t find any grand political speeches or calls to reallocate public funds. No “man in Rome sits on his throne” clichés.
Instead, it’s filled with thoughts of inadequacy from one of the most powerful people to ever exist. It’s raw. It’s human. Owning the world from coast to coast, having unimaginable wealth, yet still worrying about how to speak kindly to strangers, or struggling to get out of bed in the morning.
I still flip through Meditations from time to time as to remind myself that all of our struggles in life are relatable and in truth mundane when weighed against the importance of protecting your soul from evil.