Seeking balance

[pjthompson]

Random quote of the day:


"There is no greater illusion than fear, no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself, no greater misfortune than having an enemy. Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe."

—Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, No. 46, tr. Stephen Mitchell



Thank you, geniusofevil.












Disclaimer: The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

Comments

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

my god, that's strange to see. I based my whole Godzilla book off that quote. Makes me feel all warm and fuzy inside

[pjthompson]

Well, good. I stole it from you, so it's only fair to give you the warm fuzzies.

[helios137.livejournal.com]

Wonderful visual.

My favorite part:
Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.

[pjthompson]

Thanks. But your favorite part is the hardest part. :-)

[helios137.livejournal.com]

it is the hardest part because we are usually in a place which is far from hitting the bottom and we are hopeful of a better fate.

It has been my personal experience that when one reaches rock bottom (one's abyss), there is an opportunity one has to achieve a sort of peace. Because everything one feared has come to pass, it is possible to realize that there is no more to fear. Just like the Janis Joplin (actually Kris Kristofferson) line “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.”

Having hit bottom a couple of times in my life, I try to remember that place when I find myself worrying/fearful. IMHO, the words of Lao Tzu's quote could easily be changed to: “Whoever can see through all fear will always be free.”