Stoic Saturday: Zeno

All of us were created for "the pastorage of a common field."  

"It is better to trip with your feet than your tongue." -Zeno  

"The rational being was expressly produced by nature for contemplation." 

 -Ryan Holiday, on the stoic Zeno.

Lessons from the natural world.....

We often find ourselves at the mercy of time and circumstance, as Solomon wisely observed in his later years, "time and chance happens to them all." Just like young trees that bend and flex during harsh weather, only to emerge stronger and more resilient, we too can learn to adapt and yield when necessary.

The natural world offers valuable lessons in resilience and resourcefulness.  Young trees bend during harsh weather, and they live on thanks to that bending, where the set-in-place larger, older trees can be more easily toppled, by water and wind.

Do we too bend when necessary?

Can we benefit from any particular circumstance?

By embracing flexibility and humility, we can benefit from life's challenges and circumstances in countless ways, beyond mere financial gain.

Personal growth, inner peace, and tranquility are just a few examples of the valuable rewards that can arise from embracing life's twists and turns.

Our values and priorities play a significant role in determining what we consider "beneficial." If our chief goal is wealth or material possessions, we may sacrifice our happiness and well-being in the process.

But if we prioritize inner peace, physical fitness, or personal growth, we'll find that the journey itself becomes the reward.

As Ryan Holiday reminds us, "This is practice; that is all" - a gentle reminder to approach life with mindfulness, curiosity, and an open heart."

Staying strong in the face of the nothingburger negativity of any naysayer.

You might say, "one handful of dirt from a naysayer is nothing; let them do it, and see if I care or bother over it."  But what if all the naysayers lined-up together, each to throw his or her own handful of dirt on you?  You would realize the power of a little negativity here and there, and the idle words of a careless person become a shovelful of earth on a grave.

Wisdom: that true-north of objective right and wrong.  One must have a sense, a realistic marker of when one is at fault or not; then one address the situation.

Fortitude and Temperance enough, whether its your fault or not, not to over-react: to assess the situation.

Justice(along with fortitude and temperance): acknowledge the most equitable outcome for all involved, and stand with it, back it and support the effort, whether or not is a gain or loss for you.