“A cucumber is bitter — throw it away. There are briars in the road — turn aside from them. That is enough. Do not add: 'And why were such things made in the world?'”Marcus Aurelius · Gânduri către sine · 180 · Gânduri către sine, Cartea VIII, 50
Deal with unpleasant things directly, without complaining about their existence.
Aurelius proposes a Stoic attitude toward annoyances: act directly, without adding metaphysical indignation. A bitter cucumber is thrown away, briars are avoided. Do not ask why evil exists in the world. For example, if rain ruins your plan, do not curse the weather; take an umbrella or reschedule. Extra suffering comes from unnecessary questions.
Why it matters This principle is useful daily, from small frustrations (traffic jams) to larger problems, to reduce unnecessary stress.