The Stoics had a word, sympatheia, for the way everything is bound together. Marcus reminded himself that humans are made for each other the way hands or eyes are, parts of one body. To work against another person is to work against the whole, and against yourself. On a practical level this just means remembering the stranger is a person, the coworker is tired too, the driver who cut you off has a life you can't see. You don't have to like everyone. But acting as though you share something with them softens the whole day, theirs and yours. We're more woven together than we usually feel.

Inspired by the old idea of sympatheia. Written by Ugo Charles.