There are two powerful aspects of this chapter. The first is understanding the importance of the present moment. He writes in mans time his life is a mere instant. Everything passes by and if we do not use our time to the best we can it will just fade away.

The second part shows there is one thing that can guide us through this. It is philosophy. Marcus Aurelius writes What then can escort us on our way? One thing and one thing only philosophy. Philosophy acts as a guide in life.

How does this happen? Philosophy provides us with wisdom and the ability to make the right decisions through reasoned choices.

There are different definitions of wisdom but for our purposes it  means that you can follow your own capabilities, judgment, or resources in order to be independent. To do that you’ll need to learn to accept responsibility for everything you do without depending on what someone else says, does or thinks.