Commentary on Meditations: B1.13

13. From Catulus: not to spurn a friend's criticism, even if it may be an unreasonable complaint, but to try to restore his usual feelings; to speak of one's teachers with wholehearted gratitude, as is recorded of Domitius and Athenodotus; and a genuine love for children.

The first part regarding the quality of not spurning a friend’s criticism seems to be about how friendship is greater than a friend's criticism.  The way I read this, is we ought to look past the shortcomings and "bad behavior" of our friends.  This is not to say we should associate with bad people and ignore all the bad they do, rather we should associate with good (virtuous) people and on occasion, they may not be perfect, and we ought to overlook it. In the example Marcus refers to, even if a friend’s complaint is unreasonable, we should give them the benefit of the doubt.

Regarding gratitude for our teachers, we should view many people as our teachers. Our parents, educational teachers, mentors, supervisors, managers, all do so much to help us.  We should respect them and be grateful for them.

Lastly, Marcus appreciates Catulus’s example of having genuine love for children. We would do well to remember they are humans who are still learning.