Day 48 · Q1: Self-Knowledge · February 17, 2026
Pause. Breathe. Begin.
I . L E C T I O
Voltaire
Candide, Ch. 30, 1759
“We must cultivate our garden.”
C O N T E X T
Voltaire ends his satirical novel with this deceptively simple conclusion. After witnessing every possible form of human suffering and philosophical absurdity, Candide realizes that the only meaningful response is practical: tend what is yours to tend.
I I . M E D I T A T I O
“What is your 'garden' — the small corner of the world you can actually tend?”
I I I . S C R I P T I O
Write one sentence about the work right in front of you that deserves your attention.
I V . C O N N E X I O
How does today's reading connect to what you have read before?
This practice exists because of readers like you.
Sustain it →Tomorrow's passage, delivered at dawn.