18 Sep Tao Te Ching — Verse 45

True perfection seems imperfect,

yet it is perfectly itself.

True fullness seems empty,

yet it is fully present.

True straightness seems crooked.

True wisdom seems foolish.

True art seems artless.

The Master allows things to happen.

She shapes events as they come.

She steps out of the way

and lets the Tao speak for itself.

“True perfection seems imperfect, yet it is perfectly itself.”

What may not seem perfect in our mind is actually perfect as it is what it is whatever it is, undisturbed by our perception.

“True fullness seems empty, yet it is fully present.”

Even when we have all the possessions we may desire, we are still empty as the more we have the more we want. In the present (the pre-sent, where every thing is one thing before it is what it is whatever it is in the now), we are one with the everything; truly fulfilled and need nothing more.

“True straightness seems crooked.”

The way of a meandering river is the straightest way to the ocean.

“True wisdom seems foolish.”

Wisdom is the synthesis of many perceptions; some seemingly well reasoned, some silly.

“True art seems artless.”

Art is all that is art-ificial, manmade. Yet, wonderful art doesn’t seem artificial, contrived.

“The Master allows things to happen. She shapes events as they come. She steps out of the way and lets the Tao speak for itself.”

Being open, accepting and making the best of what comes our way leads us to harmony with all that’s about us.