The art of living Many events in our lives are beyond our control. We cannot control where we are born, the color of our skin, or who our parents are. We can control how we behave and the actions we take. We must embrace a standard of living that is morally acceptable to ourselves and others. We must accept the limitations of our actions and continue to pursue our dreams. Everyone has circumstances in their life that they control and circumstances that they cannot control; learning the difference between them is the key to a happy and rewarding life. Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher, wrote a manual that instructed people on how they should live their lives. “Some things depend on us and some things do not depend on us” (Epictetus 281). I totally agree with this statement. No one can control everything in their life. If they could control everything in their life they wouldn't be human. Epictetus believed that if you take care of your own life and life, no one will harm you, blame you, or hinder you. Almost every person in the world would like to be rich and achieve anything...