Written on May 13, 2024

What is more important in life? Stress about school, your job, that one assignment you still have to complete or that one gossiping colleague?

Or is it more important to enjoy your day and your life and to spend your time thinking about what really matters to you than to spend your time stressing about temporary things?

In 523, a Roman statesman and philosopher named Boethius was imprisoned and sentenced to death in the Italian city of Pavia. The seemingly innocent Boethius unfortunately found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

His death sentence would be carried out in 524. After his death, his remains were buried in the church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia, also the resting place of Saint Augustine.

While awaiting his execution, he decided to write a philosophical text titled The Consolation of Philosophy. In this text he describes himself being visited in his captivity by a female personification of philosophy, Lady Philosophy.

During her visit, she attempts to comfort Boethius, a once wealthy and respected statesman, by discussing the transience of wealth, fame, power and the ultimate superiority of the things of the mind. She claims that happiness comes from within and that virtue is the only thing a person really has because it is not compromised by the vicissitudes of fortune.

Whether she actually succeeded in convincing Boethius is unknown.

Although I sincerely hope that none of us will ever experience the evil that Boethius was unfortunately forced to experience, this text has made me think about the main important question it poses. What is really important in life?

What matters most to you is entirely personal to you and the only advice I can give you is to think about it deeply and figure out what it is for yourself.