My traveling companion
The beginning…St. Paul’s Cathedral, London
Almost a week ago now, I waited for my traveling companion at the baggage carousel at London’s Heathrow Airport. And pictured above, the two of us at London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral.
I don’t typically name inanimate objects, like some people name their cars. If I did name my first car, it would have been called Rusty. Since I would be spending a lot of time with my bike, I thought it deserved a name. And given my trip was inspired by the Roman road network, it seemed appropriate that I name it after a Roman Emperor. But which one?
A lot of them were assholes. Think Nero, Tiberius, Commodus, and many others. Julius Caesar, or Big Julie, as I like to call him is too obvious a choice. Let’s be honest, if it weren’t for Shakespeare, most people would be hard pressed to know the name of any Roman Emperor.
I needed to find a good emperor. And that’s how I came to name my bike Marcus, after Marcus Aurelius. He was the last of the five so-called Good Emperors, who created a time of prosperity for the Empire. Marcus was emperor from 161-180.
Marcus, soaking up the late afternoon sun in northern France
The more I learned about Marcus, the more I came to see we shared a similar outlook on life. He practiced a philosophy known as Stoicism, which can teach you how to find a purpose in life, how to face adversity (something I’d experience on this trip), and exhibit courage in the face of our anxieties.
Some have described it as having a stiff upper lip or keep calm and carry on, but instead of ignoring your feelings, as the stiff upper lip may suggest, stoics seek to replace our irrational or excessive emotions, with more rational and proportionate ones.
Like this thought from Marcus: You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.
Sometimes, Marcus tests my patience, and reminds me to lean into stoicism.
Marcus’ notes were written into a book called Meditations, which is as timely today as it was nearly two thousand years ago. In fact, it even got some play in the 2023 film The Holdovers.
As Marcus and I continue making our way south, I’ll leave you a thought from the other Marcus.
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. – Marcus Aurelius.