Tao 9
October 19, 2011
NINE
Better stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.
How do you know when the work is done? It seems it would be easier to follow this directive if I gave up, and embraced the inevitability of the grave. It seems sad to me.
Maybe it refers to a release from that internal panic in the accomplishment of the day. If I focus on the achievements of a lifetime, and lose focus on the work of the day…I panic and feel the sting of futility. That sharpened blade so quickly becoming blunt or the great treasures stolen or great titles or prestigious status actually making me more vulnerable to tragic loss. But to know the satisfaction of a day well lived, and to make this a life time habit, gives me a storehouse of encouraging lessons and a wealth of beautiful memories.
Yes, I think I may begin to understand. Or feel the Tao. At least, for today.
