To keep an open mind was one of the many virtues that Antoninus passed down to his step-son, Marcus Aurelius. Keeping an open mind means that we are open to questions regarding our own ideas, actions, behavior, and beliefs. If we are confronted with evidence of a mistake we have made, we should not feel … Continue reading Keeping an Open Mind
Category: stoicism
Read It Again
There are several books on my bookshelf that I've already read. As a minimalist, the books I already have read usually get passed on to friends or strangers (The Little Free Library), or traded in for another book. Some make the cut and are defined as "want to and probably will read again." These are … Continue reading Read It Again
Not Having Begun
A practicing stoic must often reflect on their mortality. Momento Mori, a common stoic theme, is to remember that someday we will leave this life. Our eventual passing can be scary to think about. Trying to fathom the infinitude of nothingness can be overwhelming. When I went under for both my shoulder and quad surgery, … Continue reading Not Having Begun
Put to the Test
With my recent quad rupture injury and subsequent surgery, I have found that my philosophy has been put to the test. Several times, my thoughts have wandered back to that moment when it happened. I begin to think about any number of alternative methods of moving a freezer and how all of them wouldn't have … Continue reading Put to the Test
Wisdom
Remember that every story has another side. Wisdom is the ability to see both sides and weigh them appropriately. Ray Dalio This is the fourth and final installment in my Stoic virtues series. There is Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom. It takes wisdom to know the amount of courage needed to fit nicely between recklessness … Continue reading Wisdom
