“We find this great precept often repeated in Plato, “Do thine own work, and know thyself.” Of which two parts, both the one and the other generally, comprehend our whole duty, and do each of them in like manner involve the other; for who will do his own work aright will find that his first lesson is to know what he is, and that which is proper to himself; and who rightly understands himself will never mistake another man’s work for his own, but will love and improve himself above all other things, will refuse superfluous employments, and reject all unprofitable thoughts and propositions. As folly, on the one side, though it should enjoy all it desire, would notwithstanding never be content, so, on the other, wisdom, acquiescing in the present, is never dissatisfied with itself. —[Cicero, Tusc. Quae., 57, v. 18.]—Epicurus dispenses his sages from all foresight and care of the future.”
Excerpt From
The Essays of Montaigne — Complete
Michel de Montaigne
Our familial chat this afternoon was arranged several days ago by the swift exchange of emails between my sister and me. To my knowledge there had been no agenda made by either of us governing the content of our confab. The quotation above from de Montaigne was, as you may already have discerned, preceded by an attack upon “the folly of gaping after future things…the most universal of human errors”. In keeping with Epicurean philosophy we devoted ourselves primarily to a consideration and review of the present, touching only briefly upon the unfolding and unforeseen future.
Restrained by these parameters – that is, family and the present – and not being either jealous of our action or afraid of our knowledge, soon after our arrival at the Ottawa South home of my relatives on this brilliantly sunny day we readily launched into a buoyant discussion of matters. First was a review of recent new year events, a topic which focused upon favourable connections from Brittany, France.
Brittany is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an independent kingdom and then a duchy before being united with the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province governed as a separate nation under the crown. Brittany is the traditional homeland of the Breton people and is one of the six Celtic nations, retaining a distinct cultural identity that reflects its history.
Apparently the distinctly French accent of the visitors at table was of much interest; and the lapse into English did nothing to dampen either the enthusiasm or the vigour of the newly acquainted parties.
From here we dwelt upon matters peculiar to my two nieces, starting with the youngest. She (with her husband) lives in Los Angeles, California. Accordingly the immediate rage of our prattle surrounded the recent horrific wild fires which have ravaged the urban map and may have been caused by a rural electrical tower malfunction sighted by hikers. Gratefully my niece and her husband are both well and they have been spared any tragic loss. After hearing of an impending elective medical operation and conducting a summary of their distinguished work related cruises, we moved to an address of the affairs of my elder niece (and goddaughter) who lives east of Ottawa with her partner upon a 34-acre country property along with a Pyrenees dog, 2 horses, sheep, at least one goat and innumerable chickens. Again the broad consensus of parents and uncle was that all is well with elder niece. Common to allusions to both nieces was an admission of the chance of change; but not of threatening amendment prompted of any particular logic other than the pervasive impossibility of determination of the future either good or bad. It would however constitute a distortion to suggest we knowingly acceded to the Epicurean model. It was instead a candid and unwitting abbreviation of the multitude of associated superfluities
We then spoke of a number of seemingly unrelated phenomena. As is so often the case much of the communication that flowed derived oddly from what was not said. The inescapable reality of this or any other convention is that absorptions and absences follow an ofttimes winding pattern of thought. We did not however press any investigation of what was related or implied. As with any agreeable chatter we spoke of matters of commonality; that is, stew, wines, paintimgs, handmade pottery, pianos, travel insurance and passports, last will and testament, power of attorney and naturally the inevitable repeat stories (mostly from me I am forced to confess). To our outstanding credit we confined our references and opinions to what was current (while only barely mentioning the on-going and always remarkable political affairs of our neighbours to the south).
Our communion today was predominantly limited to the present. It was a ready and meaningful dialogue unencumbered by idle and fanciful speculation. From it we mysteriously extracted a plentiful nutrition. Never have I heard an aphorism so cleverly stated as, “wisdom, acquiescing in the present, is never dissatisfied with itself”. To the catalogue of topics we kicked around Ozempic® weight reduction. And from the floating rumination surfaced a casual reference to professionals (lawyers, accountants and financial advisors); and a reference to American legal initiatives. In fact we even telephoned our mutual law firm (and spoke with an advisor) for clarification of a matter relating to safe keeping of documentation.
In all it was a wholesome and improving exchange of information. This was proof too that limiting ourselves to the present was beneficial and authoritative.