Tao 8
October 7, 2011
EIGHT
The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
No fight. No blame.
The water is to be emulated in all interactions. A simple pragmatism. The peace of no contention, relinquishing the need to strive. It sounds good, and speaks to part of me. I am painfully empty today. This does not fill me. I wish it could.
Water poured from a finite source runs out, is overwhelmed by the hunger of the soil, loses its power to flow over obstacles. To be the kind of water spoken of here, to be like the Tao, it must be water from an eternal source. It must know no end of supply.
Joshua answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Joshua, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
(John 4…somewhere)
Yeah…do the work, maybe this ache will subside.
Wait, what is this? An invitation to a friend’s home to eat meatloaf. He says it will be a chance to get out of my head. Maybe a good thing. I will flow with it, like the water.
