January 3rd Reading from The Daily Stoic - Be Ruthless to the Things That Don't Matter

"How many have laid waste to your life when you weren't aware of what you were losing, how much was wasted in pointless grief, foolish joy, greedy desire, and social amusements - how little of your own was left to you. You will realize you are dying before your time!"

~ Seneca, On The Brevity of Life, 3.3b

Note: As far as the interpretation of this quote goes, I don't believe Seneca really meant that true joy, Stoic joy, the pleasure in virtuous life, is ever "foolish" - I think he means that brief happiness found in vice that the foolish mistake for joy.