{"id":6000,"date":"2024-02-21T23:45:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T23:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailydad.com\/?p=6000"},"modified":"2024-02-21T23:46:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T23:46:04","slug":"its-only-been-given-for-an-hour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailydad.com\/its-only-been-given-for-an-hour\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Only Been Given For An Hour"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Seneca knew from experience. In one of the most dreadful periods of his life, he lost his livelihood, his home and then his young child. \u200bHe was exiled on false charges\u200b<\/a>. He buried an infant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortune\u2026she can be cruel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Seneca wrote to Marcia, the daughter of a prominent Roman historian, in his beautiful and moving \u201c<\/em>\u200bConsolations<\/em>\u200b<\/a>\u201d essays:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSnatch the pleasures your children bring, let your children in turn find delight in you, and drain joy to the dregs without delay; no promise has been given you for this night\u2014nay, I have offered too long a respite!\u2014no promise has been given even for this hour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two thousand years later, that hard-won reminder holds true. \u200bNothing is promised\u200b<\/a>. The future is not certain. It\u2019s a scary world\u2014one we\u2019re hostages to, as we\u2019ve said. But we can\u2019t dwell in sadness or fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All we can do is hold our children tight. We must \u200bsnatch the pleasures\u200b<\/a> they bring us and bring them pleasures too. Drain joy to the dregs together. Enjoy the hour\u2026because not one second more is guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n