Poem 42

(Tao The Ching: Poem 42)

 

Tao gave birth to One,

One gave birth to Two,

Two gave birth to Three,

Three gave birth to all the myriad things.

 

All the myriad things carry the Yin on their backs and hold the Yang in their embrace,

Deriving their vital harmony from the proper blending of the two vital Breaths.

 

What is more loathed by men then to be “helpless,” “little,” and “worthless”?

 

And yet these are the very names the princes and barons call themselves.

 

Truly, one may gain by losing;

And one may lose by gaining.

 

What another has taught let me repeat:

“A man of violence will come to a violent end.”

Whoever said this can be my teacher and my father.

 

****************************************

 

A man was shot and killed last Friday two blocks from my house. Just a couple of kids, horsing around with a gun. Apparently one kid was pointing the gun at the victim, the victim then attempted to kick the gun out of the hand of his friend and the gun went off. Alcohol was involved. They were just kids, not more then 20. Playing around like they see on TV.

 

Earlier the same day there was a march in downtown Moscow, ID (8 miles from here just a hop skip and a jump over the border). The march was a gathering of 300 white supremacists using biblical quotes to support the institution of slavery.

 

The one is God, the Two is good and evil or Yin and Yang, you know duality, the three is holy and belongs to everything.

The Father, The Mother, The Son

Mind, Body, Soul

This, That, the Other

Past, Future, Now.

The three belongs to everything.

 

Lent is coming up.

 

Fat Tuesday is just two days away,

 

I think I will give up Addictive Substances. I would like to see my life with a month true sobriety.

With love,

Kit

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February 23, 2004

i have been pondering what to do this lent. the past two years i have done pretty much nothing and this year i am hoping to change that. i’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection lately. your quotes add more meat for me to think about.