“First,” he said, munching on some lettuce, “neither your disappointment nor your anger was caused by the rain.” My mouth was too full of potato salad for me to protest. Socrates continued, regally waving a carrot slice at me. “The rain was a perfectly lawful display of nature. Your ‘upset’ at the ruined picnic and your ‘happiness’ when the sun reappeared were the product of your thoughts. They had nothing to do with the actual events. Haven’t you been ‘unhappy’ at celebrations for example? It is obvious then that your mind, not other people or your surroundings, is the source of your moods.
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