Stoic Simple

11/19/2025

11/15/2025

Squirrel found a lovely walnut in the forest, and became very fond of it. She kept it in her nest, sometimes taking it out to admire it in the sun.

One day, though, Squirrel realized that she’d lost her walnut. She cried to Muskrat about her loss, hoping for sympathy.

“You can’t bring it back, so why be upset?” Muskrat said. “You would have eventually lost it somehow, anyway — nothing lasts forever.”

Later, Muskrat returned with a gift for Squirrel. “Here’s a nice acorn, instead,” he said. “But remember it’s only an acorn, and it will be gone someday, too.”

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

11/08/2025

Owl was snoozing on a high branch one afternoon when some wandering geese stopped at his tree. The geese honked at Owl and said some very insulting things, hoping to upset him.

Owl looked down at the rude geese for a moment, then closed his eyes again.

“Your silly prattling can’t hurt me unless I decide that it can,” he said. “And I’m choosing to continue my nap, rather than be upset.”

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