January 13

Archibald Campbell, in his journal

. . .

A Meditation on the Tao

The Tao seeks balance, 
Returns to balance.
Violence is imbalance, 
Disharmony.
An effort to dominate events
Leads to events spinning out of control. 

And so the Master doesn’t compete, 
Doesn’t try to dominate or control others.
The Master controls his/her self.
And finds harmony.

Water is soft and yielding
Rock is hard and strong
Yet water wears rock down
Water wears mountains down
Until only water remains.

The woods around my cabin
Harsh and beautiful
Can be dominated up to a point
But not defeated.

Surrender works better here.
Surrender to the beauty
Give yourself to it
And find harmony.

Living alone in these immense woods
You adapt, accommodate.
All who live here know,
That wild nature, like water,
Will prevail until only it remains.

. . .

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