You, Who Are Not Master of Tomorrow

Late Seattle prospect Greg Halman’s death is no more or less significant than all the other deaths today — certainly not to the families and loved ones of all the other respective deceased. However, owing to the startling circumstances under which Halman’s death occurred — and to the fact that Halman was a baseball player — it’s only natural that some readers of NotGraphs will feel the pang of mortality more strongly this morning than on others.

If that is the case, might I humbly submit that you add the following fragment by Greek philosopher Epicurus to your reflections. It’s from his Vatican Sayings, and part of a collected works that can be read in a short afternoon.

Vatican Sayings, No. 14 (tr. C. Bailey):

We are born once and cannot be born twice, but for all time must be no more. But you, who are not master of tomorrow, postpone your happiness: life is wasted in procrastination and each one of us dies without allowing himself leisure.