【每日斯多葛】10月12日

October 12th 

ALWAYS LOVE

“Hecato says, ‘I can teach you a love potion made without any drugs, herbs, or special spell—if you would be loved, love.’”

—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 9.6

In 1992, Barbara Jordan addressed the Democratic National Convention and railed against the greed and selfishness and divisiveness of the previous decade. People were ready for a change. “Change it to what?” she asked. “Change that environment of the 80s to an environment which is characterized by a devotion to the public interest, public service, tolerance, and love. Love. Love. Love.”

Love. Love. Love. Love. Why? Because, as the Beatles put it, “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Not just in politics, not just in tolerance, but in our personal lives. There is almost no situation in which hatred helps. Yet almost every situation is made better by love—or empathy, understanding, appreciation—even situations in which you are in opposition to someone.

And who knows, you might just get some of that love back.

10月12日 

永远心怀爱意

“赫卡托说：‘我可以教你配制一种不需要任何药物、草药或特殊咒语的爱情魔药——如果你希望被爱，那就去爱。’”

——塞内卡，《道德书信》，9.6

1992年，芭芭拉·乔丹在民主党全国代表大会上发表演讲，猛烈抨击此前十年中的贪婪、自私与分裂。人们已经准备好迎接改变。“要改变成什么样呢？”她问道。“把80年代的那种环境，改变成一种以致力于公共利益、公共服务、宽容和爱为特征的环境。爱、爱、爱。”

爱、爱、爱、爱，为什么？因为正如披头士乐队所唱的：“最终，你收获的爱，等于你付出的爱。”这不仅适用于政治，不仅适用于宽容，也适用于我们的个人生活。几乎没有什么情境会因为仇恨而得到改善。然而，几乎所有情境都能够因为爱——或者同理心、理解、欣赏——而变得更好，即使是在你与某个人处于对立状态的时候也是如此。

而且，谁知道呢，也许你真的会得到一些爱的回报。