Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The meditations of Marcus Aurelius is a piece of work I return to often. The wisdom he presents can be mined several times over and be useful at different stages of life.

This particular passage is taking on a new meaning for me now.

I’ve always been a future thinker, considering options ahead and coming trends. There’s also an anticipation of what I want the future to be and a hope of my expectations for it.

However, I’ve always just assumed my “future self” will have the solutions necessary for whatever would come my way, completely missing the point that my present self is my future self.

What I’m doing right now is who I’m eventually becoming.

If I’m happy with how I’ve presently “armed” myself, I’ll be happy with what the future will bring. It calls me to consider whether what I’m doing for myself at this time (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually) is helpful.

There’s always more work to be done, but if I’m working at it, then there shouldn’t me much to worry about. After all, there’s very little each of us can control about the world, but we can take care of ourselves and those around us.

And if we do that, then the future will be bright and there really won’t be anything to worry about.