Philosophy

Stoicism: You Don’t Own ANYthing

Everything/one can disappear without a moment’s notice

Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash

We own nothing, but we live and act as if we do every single day of our lives. We take lightly the fact that all we see, “own,” and all that surrounds us — including our relationships — is ephemeral. Nothing lasts forever, and we cannot ever guarantee something or someone will — not even ourselves

Your car, residence, partner, family, health, career/job, abilities, freedom, options, and the things that fill up the spaces you “own” can all evaporate, which raises a valid question: why do we hold ever so tightly to things (tangible and intangible) and people as if they will remain in our lives forever?

Enculturation — especially in developed countries — teaches us to desire and go after the things and people we want so we can experience and “have” them. But for how long?

Here today, gone tomorrow. Fate does not choose wisely; fate chooses as it wishes.

Detach yourself from things and outcomes, so you can effectively prioritize what truly matters: this moment. For the continual hunt to gather will only leave you with more emptiness, and woe to the person who gives up their soul for “things” and loses it all. In the end, we will lose it all anyway. Be…