...from the
Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu which struck me as rather appropriate for our time:
When a country obtains great power,
it becomes like the sea:
all streams run downward into it.
The more powerful it grows,
the greater the need for humility.
Humility means trusting the way,
thus never needing to be defensive.
A great nation is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.
Having realized it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow the he himself casts.
If a nation is centered in the way,
if it nourishes its own people
and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,
it will be a light to all nations in the world.
The great way is easy,
yet people prefer the side paths.
Be aware when things are out of balance.
Stay centered within the way.
When rich speculators prosper
while farmers lose their land;
when government officials spend money
on weapons instead of cures;
when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible
while the poor have nowhere to turn--
all this is robbery and chaos.
It is not in keeping with the way.
2 Comments:
I was talking with a friend yesterday about the duties of the strong to the weak. We were discussing how far it is important to reach out in making opportunity for outsiders in our society.
Perhaps it's important to remember that one way of showing strength is by taking on another's burden and that restraint and control require a kind of strength that endures beyond a display of power.
A good point. (or two good points?--whatever!)
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