Lao Tzu uses a few images to describe Tao, and one of the most popular is water.
Like Tao — water is soft yet powerful.
It is tender. Turn on the tap and the water splits its ways over your hands rather than hitting you hands head on. It does not discriminate. Whether you are rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, water nourishes you. It is humble. It travels low and has no qualms staying low places where people abhor or disdain. It is accommodating. Water is harden into ice when the temperature is so low it can no longer remain soft. It evaporates into air when the temperature goes so high when it cannot remain on the ground.
Water is so yielding. It has no shape of its own, but can be in any shape. Because of its softness, it is able to yield and fit well with whatever it is with. When it is in a cup, it is of the shape of a cup. When it is in a tank, it is of the shape of a tank. It has no shape of its own, and yet can be in any shape. It never fights, it co-exists.
Softness of water is sweet, but do not its sweetness for granted.
The softness of water can be disrupted with its center is off. When the balance is tilted, it swing back to regain the center. There is a constant adjustment. The more the imbalance the bigger the adjustment, and correction can be so drastic it brings about tsunami that sweeps away towns and bridges and take away lives.
Like many things in life, treasure whatever bestowed as a gift.
The best of men is like water;
Water benefits all things
And does not compete with them.
It dwells in (the lowly) places that all disdain –
Wherein it comes near to the Tao.Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 8
