51 - Petals of Life

Even on the road to hell, flowers can make you smile. They are fragile, ephemeral, uncompromising. No one can alter their nature. True, you can easily destroy them, but you will not gain anything; you cannot force them to submit to your will.

~ from 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Entry 51 ~

One of the reasons that nature is held in such reverence by Taoists is because of its innate beauty. In a civilization beset by so much hate, violence, suffering and ugliness, the natural world reminds us of what we each contain, that we are part of something greater and more wondrous than ourselves.

When we walk in solitude on a lonely trail through a meadow, forest or along a windswept beach, we are more apt to sweep away the hubris of our fast-paced world. As we gaze out onto the desolate sands of deserts or the breathtaking heights of mountains, we realize how small we are in the scheme of things.

Nature teaches us that each tiny element fits together to form the mosaic of life. So, while each form may indeed be small, none are insignificant. We are each interdependent on other forms in an arc that is ever-widening and the ripple from one form to another moves far beyond what any of us can see.

Nature is the poetry of the Way. When we allow ourselves to drink of its waters, we become the poets of Tao.