This is the draft for my bard essay:
B) The Roman philosopher Seneca, writing in the first century, wrote a set of letters of advice to a young friend. In the 23rd letter he wrote, "Make this your business: learn how to feel joy...true joy, believe me, is a serious thing." Write a short response to these thoughts, indicating if you wish, the extent to which you may have come to realize that Seneca was right.
I like the look people get in their eyes when I say something confusing. I like how soft my skin feels once I get out of the shower. I like the way the cold morning air makes everything seem so crisp and the way plants ruffle to the wind. These details bring me joy and I know that it is because I am human. As a human being I am able to find beauty in what I experience, I am conscious.
Consciousness defines humans and is what sets them apart from all other living creatures. It is our great advantage as well as one of our weaknesses. Because we are conscious, we may choose. The possibility of choosing is what we know as freedom, but also as responsibility.
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
It is because we do not dare that things are difficult."
One too many times we recoil from this freedom, frightened by the responsibility with which it comes. We'd rather declare that we hadn't the freedom to choose and therefore, that unhappiness is not our fault.
Although it seems to be swift and effortless, joy carries with it great resonance. Being able to bring it into our life means we have succeeded in taking on our responsibilities as persons. It means we have been brave enough to search inside ourselves, giving meaning and reason to our lives. Joy comes not only from the small details that we notice while wandering because this child-like amusement is only possible if we are at peace with the big scale choices we've made.
B) The Roman philosopher Seneca, writing in the first century, wrote a set of letters of advice to a young friend. In the 23rd letter he wrote, "Make this your business: learn how to feel joy...true joy, believe me, is a serious thing." Write a short response to these thoughts, indicating if you wish, the extent to which you may have come to realize that Seneca was right.
I like the look people get in their eyes when I say something confusing. I like how soft my skin feels once I get out of the shower. I like the way the cold morning air makes everything seem so crisp and the way plants ruffle to the wind. These details bring me joy and I know that it is because I am human. As a human being I am able to find beauty in what I experience, I am conscious.
Consciousness defines humans and is what sets them apart from all other living creatures. It is our great advantage as well as one of our weaknesses. Because we are conscious, we may choose. The possibility of choosing is what we know as freedom, but also as responsibility.
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
It is because we do not dare that things are difficult."
One too many times we recoil from this freedom, frightened by the responsibility with which it comes. We'd rather declare that we hadn't the freedom to choose and therefore, that unhappiness is not our fault.
Although it seems to be swift and effortless, joy carries with it great resonance. Being able to bring it into our life means we have succeeded in taking on our responsibilities as persons. It means we have been brave enough to search inside ourselves, giving meaning and reason to our lives. Joy comes not only from the small details that we notice while wandering because this child-like amusement is only possible if we are at peace with the big scale choices we've made.
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