In Letter 61, “On Meeting Death Cheerfully,” is a profound exposition on accepting and preparing for death as a natural part of life. Seneca uses this letter to emphasize the importance of living well in the present moment, with an awareness of death’s inevitability, encouraging a stance of readiness rather than fear.
"I am endeavouring to live every day as if it were a complete life."
Seneca opens by reflecting on the changes in his desires and aspirations as he has aged, noting that his focus has shifted from seeking pleasure to preparing for a dignified end: “Let us cease to desire that which we have been desiring. I, at least, am doing this: in my old age I have ceased to desire what I desired when a boy.”
He expresses his approach to living each day fully, as if it might be his last, underscoring the serenity that comes from accepting life’s temporal nature: “I am endeavouring to live every day as if it were a complete life.” And said this beautifully, “Before I became old I tried to live well; now that I am old, I shall try to die well; but dying well means dying gladly.”
"Before I became old I tried to live well; now that I am old, I shall try to die well; but dying well means dying gladly."
Seneca then writes about the liberation found in aligning one’s will with necessity, positing that freedom comes not from avoiding death but from desiring whatever life necessitates at any moment: “That which is bound to be a necessity if you rebel, is not a necessity if you desire it.” He advocates for preparation for death as a way to truly appreciate life, suggesting that by making peace with death, one can live a more fulfilled and less fearful life: “We must make ready for death before we make ready for life.” The letter closes with a declaration of his readiness to face death, indicating that he has lived a complete and satisfying life: “I have lived, my dear friend Lucilius, long enough. I have had my fill; I await death.”
"We must make ready for death before we make ready for life."
"I have lived, my dear friend Lucilius, long enough. I have had my fill; I await death."
In Letter 61, Seneca articulates a Stoic blueprint for dealing with the concept of mortality, urging a cheerful acceptance of death as part of a well-lived life. He challenges the reader to focus on living virtuously and fully in the present without the anxiety of what the future holds. This message not only aims to ease the fear of death but also to enhance the quality of life by fostering a sense of peace and purpose.
***** Letters from a Stoic Key Takeaways is a collection of short key takeaways from the letters sent by Seneca to Lucilius. Read each letter’s key takeways here .
