Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In Tao Te Ching (Đạo Đức Kinh), Lao Tzu (Lão Tử) said, the highly virtuous person is like water, looking for the low place to dwell. Chapter 8, about virtuous person, reads:

Bậc thượng thiện giống như nước; Nước thì hay làm lợi cho vạn vật mà không tranh, Ở chỗ mà người người đều ghét, Nên gần với Đạo. Ở thì hay lựa chỗ thấp; Lòng thì chịu chỗ thâm sâu; Xử thế thì thích dùng đến lòng nhân; Nói ra thì trung thành không sai chạy, Sửa trị thì chịu làm cho được thái bình. Làm việc thì hợp với tài năng, Cử động thì hợp với thời buổi. Ôi vì không tranh, Nên không sao lầm lỗi

The highly virtuous person is like water. Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not fight. It flows in places men reject, so is like the Tao. In dwelling, choose the low places. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In daily life, be competent. In action, be aware of the time and the season. No fight: No blame.

Water goes to low places, gives life to everything it touches, but does not fight against anything. Water also doesn’t attach itself to anything – it touches everything and gives them life, but it continues travelling to the low places.

Where would be a low place in our life?

Obviously not where VIPs, divos and divas stand. Low place is the place of the unknown, the lowly, the poor, the meek, the sufferers, the distressed.  Water wants to come to them, dwell with them, and bring them life and hope.

Water doesn’t have a form of its own. Water takes the form of whatever holding it. In low places, water takes the form of the lowly and the meek.

Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:28-29).

We generally want to be big and famous. That is more like mountain than water. Mountain stands tall and big, but mountain doesn’t move. Water moves, from the mountain to rivers, to the sea, to the clouds, and again rains on mountain. Water gives life to mountain. Water gives life to all.

Brothers and sisters, let us be lowly, gentle and humble in heart, and we will live and also gives life to everything and everyone we touch.

We are water, looking for the low places to dwell. Our heart is with the lowly and meek.

Wish that we all be water.

With compassion,

Hoành

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Trần Đình Hoành
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