Appreciation

A wise man does not measure his life only by what he has gained, but by what he has learned to appreciate.

The mind, like a blade, must be cared for if it is to remain sharp. An Assassin may train his body to endure wounds, hunger, and exhaustion, yet even the strongest body is of little use when the mind has been neglected. Rest is not weakness. Silence is not idleness. To step away from the struggle and care for oneself is not to abandon one's duty it is to prepare oneself to return stronger.

We often carry burdens that cannot be seen. Fear, grief, doubt, loneliness, and exhaustion may hide behind a calm face. One should never be ashamed to acknowledge such things. A wounded mind deserves the same patience as a wounded body. Speak when you must. Rest when you need to. Seek the company of those you trust. Even an Assassin walks more steadily when he does not carry every burden alone.

Philosophy teaches us to question not only the world around us, but also ourselves. What do we truly need? What are we chasing, and why? How much of our suffering comes from what we lack, and how much from failing to recognize what we already possess?

A man who possesses a thousand treasures may still consider himself poor if he constantly desires a thousand more. Yet another may possess little and still find wealth in friendship, knowledge, shelter, food, a quiet moment, or simply another day granted to him.

We must therefore learn to look upon the present with gratitude.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

Yesterday cannot be changed, only learned from. Tomorrow cannot be known, only prepared for. But today belongs to us. It is the one moment in which we may act, rest, forgive, learn, love, and appreciate what stands before us.

Do not spend your entire life sharpening your blade for a battle that has not yet come, while failing to notice the world around you.

For knowledge without wisdom is merely information.
Strength without balance becomes destruction.
And a life without appreciation becomes a pursuit with no destination.

Care for your body. Guard your mind. Question your path. Appreciate what you have. And above all, remember to live in the moment you have been given.

Written by Zack_Rukh