"Just as we commonly hear people say the doctor prescribed someone particular riding exercises, or ice baths, or walking without shoes, we should in the same way say that nature prescribed someone to be diseased, or disabled, or to suffer any kind of impairment. In the case of the doctor, prescribed means something ordered to help aid someone's healing. But in the case of nature, it means that what happened to each of us is ordered to help aid our destiny."
~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 5.8
Personal Note: As is so often the case, the quote taken out of the full context of Marcus Aurelius' thought and Stoic teaching doesn't sound good. Disease is just prescribed by nature, or the will of God? If I'm disabled or impaired, God wills it, so that's it? Not at all what he was saying! Marcus Aurelius would have said that if one is ill, one has a duty and responsibility to try to become well, if possible. What he's talking about is that if it is not possible to improve a situation, accepting that and moving on, or even better, learning from the experience. If you suffer what appear to be misfortunes, by all means try to overcome them - but if you fail to do so, realize that the effort made you stronger, and that maybe that's all you walk away with at this time.
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