Bit by Bit - Chapter 14, Part 12

Trey Smith

"He who considers wealth a good thing can never bear to give up his income; he who considers eminence a good thing can never bear to give up his fame. He who has a taste for power can never bear to hand over authority to others. Holding tight to these things, such men shiver with fear; should they let them go, they would pine in sorrow. They never stop for a moment of reflection, never cease to gaze with greedy eyes - they are men punished by Heaven. Resentment and kindness, taking away and giving, reproof and instruction, life and death - these eight things are the weapons of the corrector. Only he who complies with the Great Change and allows no blockage will be able to use them. Therefore it is said, The corrector must be correct. If the mind cannot accept this fact, then the doors of Heaven will never open!"
~ Burton Watson translation ~

This snippet goes to the heart of the act of possessing. When we have something we value, we become bound and determined not to lose it. Sometimes very ethical individuals will stoop to very unethical means to keep a hold of their "stuff."

Why is their war? It's all about possessions. Either you want to keep others from taking hold of your possessions or you covet theirs.

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