During the Covid19 epidemic, thoughts of our own mortality come to the fore. In the article: Against mourning by Brian D Earp, the ideals of the stoics are compared to our present day tendency to dissociate from our knowledge that we are mortal.
Seneca is quoted:
“Now is the time for you to reflect, not only that all things are mortal, but also that their mortality is subject to no fixed law. Whatever can happen at any time can happen today.’ …. ‘Let us greedily enjoy our friends,’ as we should also enjoy our children, ‘because we do not know how long this privilege will be ours.’
It would be a small step in the right direction the Covid19 epidemic prompted us to keep these thoughts in mind and not shy away from our own mortality.
If you are interested to read further, the link to the full article is: https://aeon.co/essays/do-not-weep-for-your-dead-how-to-mourn-as-the-stoics-did