Read, learn, and apply Stoicism.

I have been reading stoicism for almost three years now. However, it is one thing to just read something and it is another thing to implement what you read into your life. Given that we are nearing Thanksgiving, I thought this might be a fitting share.

Not to be cliche but we have all heard that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. Lets be honest, it is more than 90% but anyway..

Today after a 21-day quarantine at the Coast Guard Academy, and a full semester of academics, we were finally released to go home for Thanksgiving.

I had a four hour drive ahead of me. Within the first thirty minutes my check-engine light came on. Within that first hour I was pulled over by a CT state trooper for not having a front license plate. In addition the trooper cited me for having illegally tinted windows, a $253 ticket. I was respectful as I was handed the ticket and said thank you...

Shorty after the state trooper let me go, I pulled off the interstate to grab lunch at a nearby Chick-Fil-A. While waiting in the drive-thru I looked at the ticket and told myself it was not a big deal and that it would be okay. While enjoying the blissful taste of my Chick-Fil-A nuggets, I spilled buffalo sauce all down the front of my new light colored shirt (We don't get to wear civilian clothes often at the Academy so it feels pretty awesome the first chance we get after leaving). I went to reach for napkins, and there were none in the Chick-Fil-A bag. "Zoinks" - Scooby Doo. I am still wearing this shirt as I write this.

In this moment, I had a choice to make. I had two options, continue in tranquility or let the circumstances disturb my tranquility. Despite what had happened, yes unfortunate, I am the on that has the choice to decide. I thought to myself what a perfect opportunity to practice stoicism and thankfulness.

I put the sequence of events in perspective:

1. I am thankful for having a car so that I do not have to take the bus or a train and it allows me the autonomy to choose when I can leave or go places. It might be expensive to fix at times, but I am appreciative of it (Stoic lesson is hedonic Adaption or taking things for granted).
2. The state trooper was just doing his job. It was me who was at fault, so why should I be upset for my own wrong doing. In short, I should have been more aware of CT driving laws. I realized how thankful I am for the men and women in blue that keep us safe everyday (Ownership not victimhood, I can only blame myself).
3. While $253 seems like a lot to a college student, in the grand scheme of life it is a minuscule amount. I thought of it as a donation to the state, for better roads, or repairs to essential transpiration (perspective... charity?).
4. I remembered the stoic quote "the more we value things outside our control, the less control we have." I may have spilled buffalo sauce all over my shirt but I couldn't un-spill it. While it might have been a shirt new to me, I am fortunate to have other shirts. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy food when I want and I am thankful to have a job that allows me to pay for it.

In short, I am still having an awesome day.

It can be really easy to "sweat the small stuff" or take things for granted, and we forget the bigger picture. I am healthy, I am young, and I have a family that loves me. That is the bigger picture to me. The best way to practice thankfulness is to go without something and you will then realize what you are really thankful for.

If you struggle to find the things in your life that you are thankful for, take a cold shower in the morning, you will learn to appreciate a hot one. Walk through the forest barefoot and you will appreciate having shoes. Go a day without eating and you will appreciate the food you are given. Turn the heat off in your house (or the AC)... the list goes on.

I share this for two reasons;

1. It can be easy to act pessimistic and/or complain about things in our life when we should reflect and remain thankful for the things we do have. Not just this week or on Thanksgiving day but everyday. To consciously practice this act of thankfulness.
2. To remember that we must ONLY focus on the things that are within our control because worrying about the things outside your control will disturb our tranquility and happiness.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones. If you made it this far, thank you for reading my short story!