circum stances

Every being in the universe

"Did you get that?" said Lao Tzu.

"EVERY being," I said.

is an expression of the Tao.

"We are all sons and daughters, offspring, of the Father," said Jesus.

"And the Mother," said Lao Tzu.

"And It," I said.

It springs into existence,
unconscious, perfect, free,
takes on a physical body,
lets circumstances complete it.

"Did you hear that, boy?" said Lao Tzu. "Your circumstances!"

"What about them?" I asked.

"You are the Tao taoing, then the stance you take to what is around you, your circum, shapes you," he said.

"If you are a limp noodle, you stay a limp noodle," said Jesus.

"If you take a righteous angry stance, you are a match asking to be struck," said Lao Tzu.

"The stance you take is equal to the trance you make," said Jesus.

"I think he's getting it," said Lao Tzu.

The Tao gives birth to all beings,
nourishes them, maintains them,
cares for them, comforts them, protects them,
takes them back to itself,
creating without possessing,
acting without expecting,
guiding without interfering.
That is why love of the Tao
is in the very nature of things.

"I love It!" I said.

My stancing became dancing.

The three of us danced on down the road.

-- Chapter 51, Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching (interwoven with our conversation)