Actions

That is why philosophers enjoin upon us 'not to be content with learning only, but to add practice as well and then training.'

Discourses of Epictetus

Just as an apple on a shelf means nothing to your body until it has been eaten, philosophy means nothing until it results in a change in our habits, in our ways of perceiving the world and the actions that result from that perception. I have a bookshelf of unread books that are merely stacks of paper until they are read and produce some change in my mind. That is not to say that knowledge for its own sake is not a good, but that philosophy should be like the food we eat, it should become a part of our lives and lead to a change in how we perceive the world and take action. The eaten apple becomes a part of our bone and blood so should the philosophy we take on as a guide change the way we perceive the world and alter the actions we take.

What you store away you have at hand and can show to others at will, but it does you no good except for the mere name of having it.

Discourses of Epictetus 

If I am to call myself a Stoic, I should keep it to myself and allow my actions to represent who I am rather than the spewing of words about this or that writing by some ancient. Firstly, I don't know all the words, and can only put forth here what I have spread before me in an open book with the words underlined. Do those underlined words mean anything if they are not reflected in my daily actions and thoughts. That's important. For as much as our way of interacting with the world should drive towards right action, our thoughts should be directed by our rational mind, our will. It is the way we filter the world to draw false conclusions that really get us into trouble. We draw conclusions that are not supported by the facts, by reality as it exists.

Poorly treated things tend to break.

Yesterday, for example, I put up some Christmas lights and ran into a few problems that resulted in an outpouring of expletives and threats of violence against the retail industry, lighting manufacturers, incompetent engineers, and the very concept of Christmas. But if I think logically, and look at the facts around my treatment of that string of lights, I am to blame. Did I not bundle them up without any thought for the delicate wires that connect the lights together? Did I not throw them into the corner of the garage with no consideration of their future use? Is it any wonder that their delicate wires would break and stop working? So with many things: careers, marriages, friendships, family, etc. We have to take care of those things we want to continue functioning. All of them are delicate things with connections that must be maintained and you can't just go to the hardware store to replace what no longer works. 

So we have to put our reading and thinking into action in activities both trivial and essential. When things go wrong, more often than not it is some action we did not take. Keep well.