As the year was coming to an end, I was sitting in my favourite chair, having a cup of coffee, feeling rather pleased with myself.

There was a tap on my shoulder.

Oh no! I knew the tap. I didn’t have to look back to see who it was. It was Epictetus. He has the rather annoying habit of tapping on my shoulder to mock me whenever he thinks I have strayed too far from the four excellences he taught me – practical wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. I turned around.

“What is it now, Epictetus?”

“Nothing really. You seem to be rather pleased with yourself this morning. What’s it about?”

“Yes, Epictetus, I am pleased with myself!Guess what? I just completed five years of editing and publishing THE STOIC. You’re not going to believe this, but over 5 years I have published 

• 400 articles, poems, book reviews, interviews, graphic sketches, and more. 
• Another 300 articles, blogs, reviews, Stoic exercises, videos on TheStoicGym.com, our website.
• HE STOIC has thousands of subscribers around the world and it is growing fast.
• And the journal came out on time every month. During the first month of publication my mother passed away. Then a, couple of years later, COVID swept through the world. Nothing stopped or delayed the publication of THE STOIC.
• And, although others advised me to do so, I didn’t monetize the journal. I kept it free for the benefit of the Stoic community.

And I am also starting a new Stoic magazine, prokopton, meant for those who are interested in practicing Stoicism seriously. Why shouldn’t I be pleased with myself?”

With a smirk on his face, he said,

“Do you remember my telling you that you should take credit for only what belongs to you and not for what belongs to others?”

“Yes. I remember that.”

“Now let’s see what belongs to you here. Did you write all 400 articles you brag about?”

“No, most were written by our team of excellent contributors.”

“So, the credit doesn’t belong to you, does it?”

“Well, not really, if you put it that way. But what about the hundreds of articles and blogs I have written? What about my books?”

“They aren’t your ideas, are they? You were simply re-expressing Stoic ideas. And not very well either, right?”

“Alright. What about the thousands of subscribers that I attracted to the publication?”

“You did that? Isn’t it your subscribers who made it possible for you to publish? How can you publish something if no one is there to read it?”

“Would you at least grant me this, Epictetus? I was of some help in popularizing Stoic ideas through the journal. I even have letters from my readers saying they benefitted from the publication. Do you want to see them?”

“Chuck, now you are being totally ridiculous. I saw you reading Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations the other other day. I looked over your shoulder (another of his annoying habits), and it said something like,

We are born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.1

So let me ask you this: When you wash your hands, does each hand congratulate itself for cooperating with the other hand? Didn’t you learn that this is how things work? Weren’t you taught that we cooperate with each other and do things for others because, by nature, we are cosmopolitans? 

Don’t you remember Zeno telling us that when you live in accordance with nature, live in harmony with it, your life runs smoothly? You want to be applauded for something that is expected of you? 

Remind me again, what is special about anything that you did?”

Of course, I knew Epictetus was right, although I wish he wouldn’t tap on my shoulder as often as he does to say so! He continued.

“I don’t want to burst your bubble [Oh yes, you do, Epictetus!], but do you remember me telling you,

We could understand if your horse bragged about its beauty. But, don’t you see that when you brag about your horse’s beauty, you are taking credit for the horse’s traits? 

What quality belongs to you? The intelligent understanding of your first impressions. If you analyze your first impressions according to nature (meaning using reason), you will not be puffed with pride unless there is a reason for you to be. - Encheiridion 6.

“Tell me, what was your first impression?”

“That I did a good job with THE STOIC?”

“Did you examine your impression as I asked you to?”

“No, but ...”

Epictetus was long gone. He never waits around to hear my clever excuses.

Almost anyone would have spontaneously thought of what I am going to say. But I had to be mocked first by Epictetus to think of the obvious! So here we go: 

• I thank all my contributors, not just the current ones, but anyone who has ever contributed to THE STOIC. It is your work that makes the journal possible. Your thoughtful articles lift up the spirit and illuminate the path of Stoic prokoptons. I don’t ever forget it. Thank you! 
• I thank our readers around the world, They are the raison d’etre for the journal. It is a privilege to be of help to the Stoic community and thank you for giving me this privilege.
• I thank the generosity of spirit exhibited by our editorial advisory board. If I have any questions regarding ancient Stoicism, I need only to contact one of the eminent modern Stoic scholars such A. A. Long or Chris Gill.  They take the time to respond, no matter how busy they are, In fact, every member of the editoral board has been helpful to THE STOIC, one way or the other.
• Donald Robertson has been a special friend of THE STOIC. Every time I met with him or talked to him, he would say something that led to the growth of THE STOIC. I don’t think he even knows how much I owe him.
• The board members of Modern Stoicism (including Harald Kavli, the editor of Stoicism Today blog) have voluntarily supported this publication, without my ever asking them. My gratitude to them all.
• My excellent associate editor, Kai Whiting, who introduced many new contributors to THE STOIC, deserves a special thanks.
• I am grateful for the help of Nancy Kramarich who copyedits every issue of the THE STOIC at short notice and ties up loose ends.

This is only the beginning. I have not listed many other equally important supporters of the journal. When Marcus Aurelius wrote his Meditations he had the privilege of devoting an entire chapter to thanking the people who helped him. But the current magazine format does not allow me to do that. So if I have not specifically mentioned you, I haven’t forgotton your contribution to THE STOIC. It is just not practical to thank by name everyone I would like to.

Thank you to anyone who ever helped the journal. I appreciate all your contributions.

In appreciation and in gratitude
Chuck Chakrapani

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