detached

The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
thus it is present for all beings.

The Master stays behind;
that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things;
that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself,
she is perfectly fulfilled.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 7, Tao Te Ching

We sat on a bench at the pond.

I held a small rock I liked that I found on our walk.

"Hold that rock against my shoulder," said Lao Tzu.

A gleam of amusement flashed through Jesus's eyes.

I leaned over and pressed the rock to Lao Tzu's shoulder.

He and Jesus began conversing about the Unborn and how all arose from It.

Jesus called it the Wellspring.

My arm holding the rock grew heavy, began to tremble.

I said, "Lao Tzu, this is exhausting."

He said, "Holding something against someone always is."

Jesus said, "Holding yourself against the entire Universe is especially tiring."

I let go.