My Stoic Thoughts: Day One Stoic Week 2020

Stoic Week 2020

Monday, October 19th, 2020

Theme:  Progress

This year’s focus during Stoic Week matches the themes of last year but expands it to how we can care for ourselves, others, and our wording during a pandemic.  COVID-19 has had a lingering presence in my own life like much of yours.  I am a human, who has been affected by its required changes.  Since March, I’ve been working exclusively via telehealth and from the comfort of my own home.  (I write this to you with pajama bottoms on and work appropriate attire on the top haha).  I made the choice to continue to work from home, even though my children went to school, in the event that my children would have to do remote learning at a moment’s notice (in addition to limiting my family’s exposure and exposure of others as much as possible).  Well, wouldn’t you know that on the first day of Stoic Week I got the email stating my kids (and the entire school) will be home learning starting tomorrow through the end of the week, as a precaution.  I chuckled at what Fate had given me. Making this Stoic Week to be an experience I could not have anticipated, and one that is timely and appropriate.

Today’s theme reflected on Stoic progress and began with examining how each of the four cardinal virtues could be relevantly practiced during the pandemic.  The following were some of my preliminary and personal applications:

Wisdom – Using good reasoning and judgement and deciding which virtues apply.

Wisdom can help us to determine the facts from the fiction by helping us to discern which resources are reliable and to be trusted and which are not, in order to make good decisions.  Based on these facts we can decide how to act justly (by staying home, wearing a mask, etc.), be courageous (stand up for what we believe is just and right despite what others think), and act moderately (do only what is needed and limit the change of exposure to self and others).

Courage – doing what is right even if it is difficult.

Courage may be practiced while states, governing bodies, and policies may become less restricted in continuing to take precautions, informed by reason and wisdom, even if it is not the norm because that is what is right and just.

Justice/Kindness – excellence in your relationships with others.

Justice can be practiced most during a pandemic with empathy and being kind to others when they struggle with their own emotional reactions (hello high anxiety) to life’s challenges during a pandemic.  We can be sensitive to other’s grief as they experience loss, fortiving and non-critical of others’ choices, assuming the best in others, and through withstanding discomfort in order to benefit others (aka wearing a mask even if your glasses fog up or it feels funny).

Moderation/Self-control – ability to deal with desires and emotions.

Moderation and self-control can be practiced through self-care and Stoic practices in order to reduce emotion’s control over our lives.  We can go out only when necessary and do what we can to minimize spread and exposure.  We can plan ahead for the unexpected (as much as we can) and stay informed but not to the point of increasing our own anxiety (no more facebook doom scrolling!).  In preparing, we can buy only what we need to ensure that others can have access to what they need.  Finally, we can act calmly even when others do not.

After reflecting upon the ways the virtues can be applied to the pandemic I identified my own small ways that I can practice them in order to care for myself, others, and the world at large.  I also examined what virtue my friends emulate that I can apply to my own life.  And while I’d love to share all of these details with you, I think it’s better I put what I wrote down into practice and help my kiddos prepare for last minute remote learning and ensure that my household can approach this challenge in a virtuous way.

(This is a summary of my thoughts inspired by prompts during Stoic Week and do not fully encompass everything on Stoic practice during a pandemic.  I highly encourage you to learn more, leave comments, and add to this conversation!)