Stoic Simple

09/25/2025

09/20/2025

Coyote was walking through the woods one frosty morning when the winter’s first snowflakes began to fall. Soon after, she spied a young dove sitting in a sugar maple tree.

“I don’t think I’m going to like the winter,” the dove said as he looked suspiciously at the drifting snowflakes. “The sun goes down too early, and this snow is cold.”

Coyote stopped and shook the snow from her fur. “If you were happy in the summer, then you can be happy in the winter too,” she said to the dove. “You’ll just be happy for different reasons.”

(From “The Stoic Fable Book” by Phil Van Treuren)

09/18/2025

𝘈 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭'𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 is the tragic (and true) story of Stella Campbell, an Old West dance hall girl who was buried in the Tonopah, Nevada cemetery. (Beautifully researched and written by Joni Eastley.)

This speech was written by Joni Eastley, a much-loved public official and chronicler of rural Nevada history.

09/13/2025

Mouse loved climbing, but she knew she wouldn’t ever be as good a climber as Squirrel.

“You’re the best in the forest,” she told Squirrel one day. “You must know everything there is to know about climbing.”

“Goodness, no!” Squirrel said. “In fact, you could probably teach me a thing or two about how to climb.”

“What could you learn from someone like me?” Mouse asked.

“Probably lots,” said Squirrel. “Everyone knows something you don’t! Besides, if you go around thinking you know everything already, then you’ll never learn a thing.”

(From “The Stoic Fable Book” by Phil Van Treuren)