METAPHORICAL MANURE

Nothing is wasted in nature. Even the manure that animals find so repulsive can be used by plants as nourishment. Observing this, the ancient sages saw a number of principles that could be applied to life.

We all come across more “manure” in life than we want. Perhaps the boss is unreasonable; perhaps some coworkers are jerks; perhaps the neighbor is too noisy. If life is a forest, then the unsavory people are the animals who never seem to run out of steaming piles to leave behind.

These people are the way they are, and you know you can never change them. What you can do is emulate the wisdom of nature, and think about how the repulsive manure can be useful in some way. Perhaps you can learn what not to do from negative examples; perhaps tolerating the negativity makes you a better person. When you draw lessons form all life, you become like a tree that draws nutrients from the ground to grow taller and stronger.

The Tao Today

Use this perspective of the Tao so you no longer see the annoying people in you life as adversaries out to get you, but merely as animals wandering around aimlessly, with no apparent purpose other than dropping loads. Deal with their annoyances lightly and you will find it easier to turn even the worst things in life into something that will help you grow.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin