Favorite book of Sharon, Bill Clinton, Goethe & China Premier Wen

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.     — Marcus Aurelius

Thanks to Megastar Sharon Cuneta Pangilinan for gifting this writer her favorite book, with the 150-page The Emperor’s Handbook by 2nd century Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius, and translated by educators C. Scot Hicks and David V. Hicks. More commonly known by the title Meditations, this book, written between 170 to 180 AD, is actually a compilation of this wise ruler’s notes for his own guidance.

Sharon, whom Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said on TV should run for senator next year, said the book was recommended to her and is a favorite of her husband outgoing Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. Sharon told me she has read the book three times.

I can’t forget a rare CNN interview by Fareed Zakaria on China Premier Wen Jiabao in 2008, when it was revealed that the reformist leader has read this same book by Marcus Aurelius 100 times! Others who loved this book include the 18th century Prussian King Frederick the Great, British philosopher John Stuart Mill, German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and former US President Bill Clinton. 

This writer believes in the paramount importance of the state of our personal emotional, physical, professional, social and spiritual well-being. Manny Pacquiao told me the Bible is life’s ultimate manual, I agree, but is this book an additional helpful guide we should study?

Ever since I opened the pages of this book, I really couldn’t stop reading and rereading passages and ruminations by this leader of the once-mighty Roman empire. I wish to share some of his refreshing and inspiring ideas, with some of my own reflections:

• My father taught me to refuse public applause and to eschew all forms of flattery.

This passage applies to us ordinary mortals, not only to emperors susceptible to obsequious courtiers or to politicos insanely obsessed with opinion surveys. My advance Mandarin-language teacher recently also taught me an old Chinese proverb that advises that neither praise nor harsh criticism should affect us as long as we have integrity.

• My father enjoyed, without pretention or self-indulgence, the luxuries that his fortune lavished upon him; but when these were not available, he never seemed to miss them.

Detachment from material wealth and creature comforts or lack of them is something I witnessed in the life of my late widowed mom who was a teacher. She was the wife of a wealthy lumber entrepreneur, my late dad and when the comfortable life was gone after he died, she still was able to find happiness with her work and family. This is one reason, through the ups and past downs of my life, I refuse to change my personal preference for a simple lifestyle.

• Maximus set an example of self-mastery, steadiness of purpose, and good cheer that no circumstance, not even illness, could extinguish. This ideal of conquering one’s self is my ultimate goal. I believe conquest of self is more difficult than conquering kingdoms!

• From my father, I learned… he neither abused in luxurious living, nor pampered with excessive exercise and diet, nor neglected unduly, and thereby kept himself almost free from doctors, medicines, and salves.

Many who are young, or think we’re still young, forget to maintain good health through proper rest, balanced diet and moderate but regular exercise. Business leader John Gokongwei, Jr. once told me he’s wary of the dangers of over-exercising. I believe it’s good to be a health buff, but dangerous to be a health nut!

• Purge your mind of all aimless and idle thoughts especially those that pry into the affairs of others or wish them ill.

Is this possible by filling our minds with nobler ideas, by reading good books like this by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, or by regular prayer and meditation?

• Never act without purpose and resolve, or without the means to finish the job.

This admonition is applicable not only to all of us in our normal day-to-day life, but also more so I believe to entrepreneurs who should assess resources/capabilities and also to many mindless, braggadocio loudmouth politicos!

• Democritus said, “If you would be happy, limit your activities to a few.”

This is interesting and insightful; it also means one has to learn to also say “No.”

• Act, speak, and think like a man ready to depart this life in the next breath.

This idea of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on the evanescence and fleeting nature of life keeps recurring throughout the book. It is a humbling reminder to us to make our short existence here on earth more meaningful. True, we should live and cherish each day as if it were our last!

• The best revenge is not to do as they do.

I agree with this wise idea of Emperor Marcus Aurelius to not follow the examples of those despicable people who have wronged us. I wish to add my own personal belief: the best revenge is success!

• If it’s not right, don’t do it. If it’s not true, don’t say it.

These words are easier said than done, but very important and essential daily reminders nonetheless!

• The happiness of those who want to be popular depends on others; the happiness of those who seek pleasure fluctuates with moods outside their control; but the happiness of the wise grows out of their own free acts.

Be happy by your own accord and by your own will!

• Don’t act as though you’ll live to be a thousand. Your days are numbered like everyone else’s. In what remains of your allotted time, while you still can, become good.

Thanks to this reminder, let us aspire to be good persons no matter what our circumstances.

• Time is like a kind of river, an irresistible flood sweeping up men and events and carrying them headlong, one after the other, to the great sea of being.

Our late mom had an equally interesting view of time, when she taught me and my younger sister Marilou this ancient Chinese proverb: “An inch of time is as valuable as an ounce of gold, but an ounce of gold can never buy back an inch of time which has already passed.” Let us wisely use our time!

• No human action can be well taken without reference to the divine.

I remember business leader and diplomat Alfonso Yuchengco’s office wall bears Chinese calligraphy of the wise words of Three Kingdoms era strategist Zhuge Liang: “Man proposes, but God disposes.” Indeed, for all our human efforts and even the best planning or intentions, we shouldn’t forget to pray to our Creator without whom nothing is possible.

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