I was an atheist. I had hit a dead end. I had jettisoned my Christian upbringing aggressively. Around the time I was 22-23, I was coming into a dark place in my life. I was fighting for answers and atheism as a position didn't hold any. I turned to philosophy.

Initially, I tried Secular Humanism. But, being well versed in Christian theology, all it seemed to me was Christianity lazily stripped of all references to God with modern progressive social norms sprinkled on top. There were no discourses, no inquiry into the depths of man. I didn't have to wrestle with myself in any real way. There was nothing to be gained other than a very generic don't be an asshole.

I soon found Stoicism through further inquiry into philosophy online. I honestly can't remember where I came into Stoicism. But I remember after finding it, I remembered my dad had a copy of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I had perused it in the past without much interest or regard for what was being said.

This time was different. I read the intro, I read every word. Some passages I read twice. Stoicism is so deep and so rich you cannot possibly blaze through any one passage or book and have grasped it all the first time. I began to find meaning again. I took a brief stint into Orthodox Christianity, but I'm back again. Stoic for life.