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Memento Mori: A Practice for the Living

August 16, 2025August 14, 2025 B. John 2901 Views 0 Comments Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, mortality reflection, life purpose, reconnecting with friends, mortality salience, Gratitude, Memento Mori

This entry is part 25 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

We don’t know how much gas is left in the tank. That truth, far from morbid, can be a guide to living with gratitude, courage, and clarity.

Memento Mori is the Stoic reminder that life is finite. For me, it has meant fewer grudges, more calls to friends, and a better sense of when to set work aside. It has reminded me that my “last great days” may already have happened, or they may still be ahead—but I will only recognize them if I am paying attention.

This is not about fearing death. It is about remembering life. When we keep the end in view, even quietly, the days we have become more precious and more alive.

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The Graduation Gift

August 12, 2025August 15, 2025 B. John 2788 Views 1 Comment Seneca, Stoic philosophy, high school graduation, life transitions, personal growth, Epictetus, appalachian state university, Marcus Aurelius

This entry is part 23 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

A framed silhouette of my niece, standing before the mountains at sunset, carries a message for her high school graduation: “Behind you, all your memories. Before you, all your dreams. Around you, all who love you. Within you, all you need.” It is a blessing, but also a challenge — to live with gratitude for the past, purpose in the present, and trust in the strength we already carry. In its quiet way, it’s pure Stoic wisdom.

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Stoicism Journey: Evening Reflection

August 7, 2025August 6, 2025 B. John 3064 Views 1 Comment Epictetus, Aurelius, Seneca, Journaling, Evening Reflection, Meditations

This entry is part 21 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

We’ve all had days we wish we could do over — moments of frustration, things said too quickly, or chances missed. At night, the mind often replays them with no resolution. The Stoics gave us another way. The practice of Evening Reflection invites us to examine the day with honesty, take note of our missteps and our better moments, and prepare to live more intentionally tomorrow. It’s simple, quiet, and backed by modern science. You don’t need special tools — just a few minutes and a willingness to learn from your own life.

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Rising from the Defeat That Wasn’t

July 28, 2025August 1, 2025 B. John 2393 Views 0 Comments Grace, Stoicism, Marcus Aurelius, Amor Fati, Seneca, Maya Angelou

This entry is part 19 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

Sometimes the worst defeats are the ones you didn’t cause but still feel responsible for. A job ends. A friendship slips away. You tell yourself it wasn’t your fault, but that doesn’t stop the questions. Maya Angelou once wrote that defeat might be necessary—not because we deserve it, but because it reveals who we really are. This essay reflects on regret and unexpected renewal through the lens of Stoic thought and lived experience. What you rise from, it turns out, may be the truest part of you.

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Boone, Facebook, and Marcus Aurelius…Oh My

July 23, 2025July 24, 2025 B. John 1254 Views 0 Comments Reflection, Appalachian State, Stoicism, Boone, Marcus Aurelius, Inspiration, Seneca, NC, Modern Wisdom, Healing Places

This entry is part 18 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

I came across a meme that read, “There are two places you need to go often: The place that heals you. The place that inspires you.” It struck me deeply, because for me, one of those places is Boone, North Carolina, where I went to college. But as I reflected on that idea through the lens of Stoic philosophy, I realized the Stoics might offer a very different kind of guidance: to go inward. This essay explores the contrast, and surprising harmony, between modern healing and ancient inner retreat.

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Warriors for Justice: A Stoic Response to Robert Reich

July 18, 2025July 16, 2025 B. John 1121 Views 1 Comment methodism, Epictetus, Robert Reich, Pigliucci, Seneca, John Wesley

This entry is part 16 of 47 in the series Journey Through Stoicism

Your first thought might be: One more warrior is exactly what we do not need in this moment. The world feels overrun with conflict already. But what if the kind of warrior we need now is not one who fights for dominance or control, but one who stands calmly for conscience, who chooses clarity over chaos and courage over comfort? That is the kind of warrior Robert Reich wrote about — a woman on the front lines of immigration defense, who meets injustice not with rage, but with a quiet joy rooted in purpose. Her story holds a lesson as old as the Stoics and as current as the morning’s headlines.

This reflection is part of the ongoing “Stoicism Journey” series, which explores how ancient Stoic principles can offer clarity, strength, and moral direction in today’s world. Each piece connects Stoic thought to real-life challenges, often intersecting with faith, justice, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. In this installment, we respond to a story shared by Robert Reich, considering what it means to be a warrior for justice in dishonorable times.