The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

A reflection on emotional reasoning, respectful disagreement, and the quiet strength of understanding over judgment.

Issue #29:

Good day and welcome back to The Zen Journal. Today’s reflection comes from a fable that’s been around for over two millennia: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.

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“I’d rather gnaw a bean than be gnawed by continual fear.”

In other words, it’s better to live a simple, humble life in peace than to enjoy luxury under constant stress and danger.

That’s the core message of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse story, and it still holds up after 2,500 years.

You probably know the story, but I’ll tell it anyway.

In the tale, a stylish, fast-talking Town Mouse pays a visit to his cousin in the countryside. He looks down on the Country Mouse’s modest way of life and invites him to the city to see how the ‘smart’ folks live.

The visit is full of luxury. And danger.

After being terrified by the threats of city life, the Country Mouse decides he'd rather stick with his humble but safe routine.

This story has stuck around for a reason. Human nature hasn’t changed all that much. Even now, it’s common to see people from cities look down on those who live more simply, especially rural folks.

There’s this assumption, often unspoken, that living in a fast-paced, urban environment automatically makes someone more knowledgeable, more cultured, or more right.

But that’s simply not true.

Aesop’s fables, like this one, come from the same era as the Buddha, the Axial Age, a time that gave the world some of its deepest and most enduring wisdom.

I make no apology for siding with old ideas. Not because new ones can’t be good too, but because time tests things.

And if something has lasted this long, there's probably a reason. As the saying goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Even Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of Rome, saw great value in this story. He references it in Meditations 11.22, recognizing its timeless relevance.

You’d think someone with his education, authority, and access to the best minds of his age might dismiss a little story about mice. But he didn’t. Why?

Maybe because Marcus Aurelius understood something that today’s elites sometimes forget: that simplicity has its own wisdom, and humility is not the same as ignorance.

There really must be something in the water in big cities that convinces some people they know more than everyone else. Especially more than the “bumpkins” just down the road.

But knowledge doesn’t only come from universities or urban think tanks. Sometimes the best lessons come from quiet lives, simple truths, and unexpected voices.

Marcus Aurelius wasn’t just a ruler, he was also a student. He valued what he learned from those around him, including his teacher Rusticus.

In Meditations, Book 1, section 7, Marcus reflects on Rusticus’ influence:

“From Rusticus I received the impression that my character required improvement and discipline... And I am indebted to him for being acquainted with the discourses of Epictetus, which he communicated to me out of his own collection.”

That line tells us a lot. Marcus Aurelius didn’t pretend he had it all figured out.

He was grateful for what he learned from Epictetus, who had once been a slave. And also from Rusticus, who reminded him not to show off, not to get lost in theories, and not to seek applause for being disciplined or benevolent.

He sought wisdom, not attention.

And that’s one of the reasons we admire Marcus Aurelius so much. Not just for his power or leadership, but for his humility, and his willingness to learn.

That humility led him to value the teachings of Epictetus, whose plainspoken, grounded philosophy still helps us today.

So what does this mean for us?

It means we shouldn't dismiss wisdom just because of where or who it comes from. Whether someone lives in a farmhouse or a penthouse, drives a beat-up truck or a luxury car, we all have something to teach and something to learn.

The packaging doesn’t matter nearly as much as the substance.

And maybe, like the Country Mouse, we’ll realize that a quieter, simpler life can be richer than we thought.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you. Please feel free to share your thoughts, reflections, or questions as I dive deeper into these teachings.

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