It’s Christmas morning, and I am up at 5:00 a.m. It’s not for children or to get the house ready. It’s not to prepare food. It’s because I’ve decided to try a ‘new’ philosophy, and it starts today. It is not new: it is old. It is Stoicism.

Before I go on major travels, I choose to bury myself in the target country’s culture, literature, history. But I’ve already done that, done that for years with Greece and Italy.

So, how should I study for this trip? Philosophy.

Rediscovering the Stoics

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, I came across Stoicism. I’ve crossed it many times in the past and read about it some. But yesterday I read deeper and deeper into it. I think it may be an answer to many of my problems, and even if it’s not, it still solves one of them.

Stoicism was one of three parts of Socratic Philosophy in Ancient Greece. By studying it for the next few months, I am at least studying in depth about my travel target. However, it may be more, much more than that.

Some of the main tenets of Stoicism emphasize attributes that are an essential part of me. Other important thoughts and rules apply to my greatest weaknesses—and failures.

The Project Begins

My wife will be happy about my studies; she’ll hope they never end. You see, since I get up at 5:00 to study, I’m the one who gets to take the dogs out — and she gets to skip her turns; it was her (both of ours, really) most hated chore. I really couldn’t figure a way out of the dog walking. So, I’ll get lots of support in the home.

I’ll let you know how the project goes. Today, I’m up, so the first day is successful. I’ll post this on my Russell’s Stories Page on Facebook. Please let me know you thoughts there.

photo credit: By Paolo Monti – Available in the BEIC digital library and uploaded in partnership with BEIC Foundation.The image comes from the Fondo Paolo Monti, owned by BEIC and located in the Civico Archivio Fotografico of Milan., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48067347