Epictetus had a clear-eyed way of talking about possessions: never say you've lost something, only that you've given it back. The house, the money, the things you love, they were always on loan from life, never truly yours to keep. This sounds severe, but it's strangely freeing. When you hold what you have a little more loosely, you enjoy it without the constant fear of losing it. You stop letting your peace depend on keeping every external thing fixed in place. You can take good care of what's in your hands and still know it was lent, not given, and that knowing softens the grip of money worry.

Inspired by the old idea of possessions are on loan. Written by Ugo Charles.