Editor’s Note: After reading “Meditations,” I was filled to the brim with the Stoic philosophies of the great Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Simple yet profound truths like, “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Many of us are frustrated with the state of affairs in our country today, and it is causing us great stress. Pondering this, I wondered what one of the greatest thinkers and military leaders in history would have to say about the current state of affairs in the US. What follows is the result of my putting myself in the shoes of the Roman leader for a few minutes. I hope you find it enlightening. –GDM

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There exists a society far removed from the Rome that I once knew – a land named America. It’s a nation thriving on innovation, brimming with individuals of diverse origins, each contributing their unique ideas and talents to a vast mosaic of life.

One cannot overlook the wonders that their technology has brought forth. A kind of magic allowing instantaneous communication across vast expanses, the power to heal and cure diseases that were once thought incurable, machines capable of imitating human thought and action. Such progress would have been unthinkable in my time. The value of these marvels lies in their potential to uplift the human condition, to allow the mind more time for contemplation, and to ease the suffering of the body.