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Meditations were written by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius either for himself or for his son and were not addressed to the wider public. His work, however, has become one of the most important texts representing Stoic philosophy. The ancient book is divided into twelve chapters. They embark on exploring such eternal themes as life and death, aspirations and fears, a place of an individual in society, personal priorities, and ways of achieving peace of mind. As to the last point, the crowned philosopher gives some practical recommendations that could be incorporated into our modern lives.
For example, Marcus Aurelius suggests that we concentrate on our inner lives while being open and well-disposed to the world. One should respect those who surround them but not connect their self-esteem and mental health with what others say.
It seems very relevant today when most of us are connected with so many different people via social media. Becoming dependent on the number of likes on our posts is relatively easy, is it not? However, we had better avoid this and should never measure our success only by such external factors.

It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.

Meditations deal extensively with the concept of death. Marcus Aurelius explains why one must not be afraid of inevitable demise.
Everything in this world is transient. All our accomplishments will sooner or later fade into oblivion. Our difficulties, no matter how cruel they seem to us, are not original. People in the past have already gone through similar ordeals, and the future will bring the same problems.
All the great people of the past (caesars, writers, sculptors) perished, as did ordinary people. The end is the same for everyone. Therefore, in a wider sense, it does not matter whether or not you have lived a long and prosperous life. I think the author expands on this topic because he wants to provide himself or his invisible reader with some sort of consolation. Life is not always fair. Sh*t happens even to virtuous people. We must accept things that we are not able to change and improve those that can be rectified. Whatever happens, we can choose how to respond to it. These reflections represent one of the tenets of Stoicism.

The man in charge of the great empire does not attach weight to the posthumous fame or slander that may haunt famous people both during their lifetime and after. Praise and calumny are equally considered vanities.
Instead, the author believes in public duty and the necessity of doing the right things and being decent under any circumstances. One should do what he or she thinks right to do without expecting gratitude in response. Kindness to others and worthy deeds give a sense of fulfillment, which means that they are more than enough to make us happy. He also warns against being judgmental toward others. How can we judge others if we are not perfect ourselves?
All these and many other ideas are discussed in the book in a much more subtle way. I have just tried to translate them into the modern language.

The key ideas get repetitive throughout the book. Some would probably prefer to read it with breaks. You can start reading it from any chapter. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it almost in a single sitting. The writing style is accessible. The book makes us reflect on ourselves and the world around us.

In conclusion, I will let the author speak for himself so you may judge for yourself.

"The perfection of moral character consists in this, in passing every day as the last, and in being neither violently excited nor torpid nor playing the hypocrite."

“Confine yourself to the present.�

"Consider that as the heaps of sand piled on one another
hide the former sands, so in life the events which go before are soon covered by those which come after."

"Speak both in the senate and to every man, whoever he may be, appropriately, not with any affectation: use plain discourse."

"Now it is true that these [obstacles] may impede my action, but they are no impediments to my affects and disposition, which have the power of acting conditionally and changing: for the mind converts and changes every hindrance to its activity into an aid; and so that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act; and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road."