Be like the cliff against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.
When storms raged in his empire — wars, rebellions, plagues — Marcus reminded himself to be like a rocky shore. Calm, unshaken. He imagined his mind as a cliff against emotional waves: anger, fear, despair. The waves may roar, but the cliff endures. This powerful metaphor still speaks to anyone dealing with daily pressure or emotional overwhelm.
You cannot stop the waves, but you can become still like the rock.
"You cannot calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself."