Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true

“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.” — so wrote Robert E. Lee, the soldier and scholar whose calm dignity outlived both triumph and tragedy. In this reflection, Lee speaks not as a general, but as a philosopher of the human soul. His words rise above battle and politics; they are a meditation on wisdom, virtue, and peace — the three pillars of a life well-lived. To have “correct views of life,” he tells us, is to see the world not through vanity or passion, but through truth. For only truth grants serenity, goodness, and a death without fear.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the ruins of a world Lee once knew. He had witnessed glory turn to ashes, brother rise against brother, and ideals torn apart by the hand of destiny. Out of such sorrow, his soul was purified of illusion. He learned that life’s meaning cannot rest on victory, wealth, or power, for these are fleeting as mist upon the field. Instead, he turned his gaze inward and upward — toward the eternal laws of duty, faith, and humility. To “see the world in its true light” is to strip away the deceit of pride and the blindness of ambition. It is to understand that all things are temporary, save the character we forge and the good we do.

In the ancient world, this truth was known to the Stoics. Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor, wrote in his Meditations: “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Like Lee, he saw that peace does not come from controlling the world, but from perceiving it rightly. The wise man does not expect fairness from life; he expects opportunity — the chance to act with honor in both joy and suffering. When Lee speaks of “correct views,” he means this very understanding: that we cannot choose the terrain of our journey, but we can choose how we walk it.

Consider, too, the life of Nelson Mandela, who endured twenty-seven years in prison and emerged not with bitterness, but with wisdom. He, too, learned to see “the world in its true light.” He understood that vengeance poisons the heart and that true strength lies in forgiveness. His prison cell became a place of clarity, his suffering a furnace for his soul. When at last he was “summoned away” — not by death, but by history — he left without regret, for he had lived in harmony with truth. Thus, the great souls of every age — soldier, emperor, prisoner — all converge upon the same insight: that clarity of vision is the root of peace.

To live pleasantly, as Lee says, does not mean to live softly. It means to live with a quiet mind and a clean heart. The man who understands life’s true nature no longer rails against its storms. He finds pleasure not in abundance, but in balance. He does not cling to the world, nor does he despise it; he moves through it as a traveler passing through a land of lessons. Such a man, anchored in truth, can do good without pride and endure hardship without despair. His calm is not the calm of ignorance, but the calm of insight.

And when the final summons comes — as it comes to all — he departs as one who has finished his work and made peace with his soul. To “leave without regret” is the crown of wisdom. It is to look back upon life and say, I have seen clearly, I have lived rightly, I have loved well. Few achieve it, for most live blinded by haste and hunger. But to those who cultivate correct views of life, death itself loses its terror. For the man who has seen truth fears no ending; he knows it is but another beginning.

The lesson, then, is this: seek clarity, not comfort. When confusion clouds your path, ask yourself, What is real? What endures? Train your mind to see life as it is, not as you wish it to be. Do not measure your worth by gain or loss, but by the strength of your spirit and the peace within your heart. Practice goodness without expecting reward, and greet each day with gratitude, for even hardship is a teacher.

So, my child, see the world in its true light. Be neither drunk with success nor crushed by misfortune. Walk steadily between them, knowing both are illusions. Live simply, do justly, and hold your peace. Then, when the hour comes to depart, you will not cling to life in fear or remorse, but lay it down as one lays down a completed work — with calm hands and a quiet smile, having known what it is to truly live and to truly see.