EXACTLY RIGHT

In your studies, you may have come across the idea that no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, you are exactly at the right place at the right time, doing exactly the right thing.

There is a truth to this when we look at it form a Tao perspective. You cannot be anywhere other than where you are right now, so where you are now is exactly where you should be. This remains true even if you think you have taken a wrong turn somewhere, because you cannot go back in time and make a different decision, no matter how much you may want to.

This means there is no reason to rail against things that have already occurred. Hindsight is always 20/20, so quite frequently we realize we’ve made a mistake long after the fact. It is in keeping with the Tao to learn from it, but quite contrary to the Tao to beat yourself up over it. Do not waste your energies trying to change that which is already set in stone.

The Tao Today

Everything about you in the present moment - location, state of mind, action - is the result of everything that has already happened. Look at the past and present as one continuum, and you can see how precisely everything has to be choreographed to get you to this point. In that sense, you can say that the totality of the present is perfect.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin