End of the Year lists

It's the time of the year when everyone makes some sort of lists, isn't it?
Books!
Movies!

and of course, the dreaded RESOLUTIONS!

I am more in a meditative state of mind and thinking about what this year was. I'd say a long and weird one, with many twists and some good lessons. In a bear that shaken our beliefs, we were all forced to learn a thing or two, didn't we? :)

I want to think that all this will pay off in the future somehow. But it might not and I think that's entirely possible which makes me wonder if it was all for nil. My idea is that, experiencing the highs and lows once is something that we won't forget. Life will always have highs and lows and our reactions to all this dance that we have almost no control over are the only thing we can actually have a modicum of power over.

It brings me back to my friends, the Stoics! What a great philosophy. And while I embrace it and preach it, how much I failed it. Deep into the bull, I felt the high and let it guide me.
Deeper into the bear, I felt the despair and let it affect me.

That's basically the opposite of what the stoics say we should do. And I believe that now more than ever, we should all re-read them and maybe - after some experiences - we get it better. Maybe, we are wiser.

I leave you with this little intro. Interestingly, once you get the gist of Stoicism, the rest is just nuances and subtleties. I like the nuances so I like to read more but this is really enough. Hope you enjoy it: