Marcus Aurelius dialogues prompt us to recognize the fleeting nature of external desires:

In the depths of our longing, in the silence of our cries,
There’s a whisper in the darkness, where our true desire lies.
For in the quest for happiness, a paradox unfolds,
As we chase elusive dreams, the yearning to let go takes hold.

There is only one true desire, in the depths of our breath,
It’s the longing for the end, the embrace of sweet death.
In our pursuit of happiness, a truth we can’t deny,
That in the quiet of the night, it’s death we truly pry.

Through the laughter and the tears, through the highs and lows,
There’s a shadow in our footsteps, where our deepest yearning grows…