from Verse One Hundred FortyWhen a boat is broken by rough waters, or an axle is snapped when struck by a piece of wood, you blame the incompetence of the craftsman, you don't resent the elements, because this is not done by cunning.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
There's a popular poster/T-Shirt called Shit Happens. While it's very tongue-in-cheek, it does underscore that fact that...well...shit HAPPENS!No matter how well we plan our lives and no matter the care we take in each moment, things that we never planned for nor considered may well happen. There is no avoiding it.
With so much energy and consciousness moving around us, there are forces at work that we simply don't understand. When some of these forces -- the yin and yang of life -- collide or come together at just the right moment, shit happens!
It doesn't happen because fate is against us or the forces of nature have it in for us. There is no intention involved and, in all honesty, we only consider it shit because we are self-conscious. I don't think a tree that is battered by fierce storm after fierce storm thinks to itself, "Why does this shit always happen to me?"
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
I think that's why Lao Tzu was RIDING the Ox. He was driving it along and then found out that...shit happens.
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