A Stoic Thought Exercise: What if It All Goes Away?
Meditating on our fleeting mortality might sound like a downer, but the ancient practice can help us find more tranquility while we’re here
A couple weeks ago, I felt a dull ache in my abdomen. It wasn’t painful, but it was persistent and, since the belly houses several mission-critical organs, I decided to get it checked out. My doctor seemed puzzled by my nonspecific symptoms, especially since a recent colonoscopy and upper GI scan indicated all was good. So he ordered a slew of tests and an ultrasound, which he scheduled for the next afternoon.
After I left my samples and departed the office, I spent the next 24 hours Googling “stomach pain” while contemplating my imminent death. The internet suggested I had either a kidney infection, early stage liver disease, or The Big C. How would I tell my wife? Who would raise my kids? I wondered as I cursed the decades of cheeseburgers, french fries, and microbrews that had led me to this inauspicious end.
After torturing myself for almost a full day, I let out a grateful breath when I learned the ultrasound saw only healthy tissue, and my myriad of specimen signaled that all organs were working as they should. So, what was the cause of my intestinal discomfort? Gas…
