The Way of Heaven
is like stringing a bow
pulling down the high
lifting up the low
shortening the long
lengthening the short
the Way of Heaven
takes from the long
and supplements the short
unlike the Way of Man
taking from the short
and giving to the long
who can find the long
and give it to the world
only those who find the Way
thus the sage does not presume on what he does
or claim what he achieves
thus he chooses to hide his skill
-- Red Pine, Chapter 77, Tao Te Ching
I sit at my computer. I stare into unseen space.
Jesus and Lao Tzu walk in.
"What's up?" asks Lao Tzu.
Jesus already knows.
"I have writer's block," I said. "Nothing is coming."
"You are not blocked," said Lao Tzu. "Nothing is what you are receiving."
I roll my eyes.
"He speaks the truth," said Jesus. "When nothing comes, you need to stop at nothing."
"What!?" I ask, thoroughly confused.
"Stop at nothing, at no thing, at not-hinged. You need to become unhinged."
"And how do I do that?" I ask.
"Release!" said Lao Tzu, tapping me gently on the head.
"Solvitur ambulando," said Jesus. "Release comes from walking around."
"Let's go. Get up," said Jesus.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Wide open spaces," he said.
"But I have a blog to write!" I protest. "People are expecting it."
They grab me under the arms and haul me out the door.
"I feel better already. Let me go back in," I say.
They laugh while keeping a firm hold.
"You take the cake," said Lao Tzu.
We head north toward the mountains.
is like stringing a bow
pulling down the high
lifting up the low
shortening the long
lengthening the short
the Way of Heaven
takes from the long
and supplements the short
unlike the Way of Man
taking from the short
and giving to the long
who can find the long
and give it to the world
only those who find the Way
thus the sage does not presume on what he does
or claim what he achieves
thus he chooses to hide his skill
-- Red Pine, Chapter 77, Tao Te Ching
I sit at my computer. I stare into unseen space.
Jesus and Lao Tzu walk in.
"What's up?" asks Lao Tzu.
Jesus already knows.
"I have writer's block," I said. "Nothing is coming."
"You are not blocked," said Lao Tzu. "Nothing is what you are receiving."
I roll my eyes.
"He speaks the truth," said Jesus. "When nothing comes, you need to stop at nothing."
"What!?" I ask, thoroughly confused.
"Stop at nothing, at no thing, at not-hinged. You need to become unhinged."
"And how do I do that?" I ask.
"Release!" said Lao Tzu, tapping me gently on the head.
"Solvitur ambulando," said Jesus. "Release comes from walking around."
"Let's go. Get up," said Jesus.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Wide open spaces," he said.
"But I have a blog to write!" I protest. "People are expecting it."
They grab me under the arms and haul me out the door.
"I feel better already. Let me go back in," I say.
They laugh while keeping a firm hold.
"You take the cake," said Lao Tzu.
We head north toward the mountains.
What a pair they are!!!
ReplyDeleteLao Tzu reminds me of a close friend of mine from Bhutan...He always uses phrases like : You Take Cake, however, he like me gets his murds wixed up..He will say: "You Cake Take" "I linging you for skype again and over, and where you are??"
Ah.... the wide open spaces.. so fresh, so solvitur-able.
Thanks George, HB
I appreciate your good humor and attempt to fool these two by saying "I feel better already Let me go back in". Good luck with every trying to pull one over on those two wonderful fellows.
ReplyDelete"When nothing comes, you need to stop at nothing."....like, don't push the river? yeah. yes. Yes.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Especially, "nothing...no thing...not-hinged"...just brilliant. Thank you, George!
ReplyDelete