Poetry Thursday

Give up, and you will succeed.
Bow, and you will stand tall.
Be empty, and you will be filled.
Let go of the old, and let in the new.
Have little, and there is room to receive more.
The wise stand out,
because they see themselves as part of the Whole.
They shine,
because they don't want to impress.
They achieve great things,
because they don't look for recognition.
Their wisdom is contained in what they are,
not their opinions.
They refuse to argue,
so on one argues with them.
The Ancients said: "Give up and you will succeed."
Is this empty nonsense?
Try it.
If you are sincere, you will find fulfillment.
Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, chapter 22
(Piatkus, 1995)


I am trying to be sincere in my quest to "give up" and trust I will be show how to succeed. To continue to be sincere in my willingness to be open and part of the Whole.

One of the things that drew me to my husband was the fact that I knew I would never loose myself. I knew he was just as interested in supporting me as a strong individual as I was in being one. Having lost the "me" to the "we" in the past, I was anxious never to fall into that trap again. My husband encourages me to continue to grow, learn, experience new things and see the world. He is a great catalyst for me. He is not easy.

At the moment he is bringing more opportunity for change, growth and reflection into my life. He returned from Africa on Tuesday full of ideas and plans. I am feeling a little lost in the flood of change at the moment.

I read this poem last evening and immediately recognized it as the lifeline I was looking for. Doing the right thing is not always easy. In fact, more often it is quite a challenge.

I am trying.