Huainanzi - Entry 84

Trey Smith

Those who have the Way can respond to the unexpected without lack and can escape from trouble when they meet.
~ a passage from The Book of Leadership and Strategy by Thomas Cleary ~

For me, this little snippet deals with the danger of expectations. When we expect or blindly anticipate a particular outcome and it does not occur, we easily can be thrown off our game. We flail around trying to catch our bearings and, in doing so, we miss obvious remedies that are within reach.

When we simply react to circumstances without the burden of expectations, it is so much easier to sidestep trouble. When the mind is clear, we can see what is before us and what we need to do to avoid disaster.

To read the introduction to this ongoing series, go here.