22

Those who abide can truly achieve.

Those who spare can effectively strike.

Those who live alone can leave the toilet seat up.

Those who take it up with the man get a man down.

Those with a lifetime of achievement don’t do very well.

Forget about the fucking TOE!

Nothing about it indicates.

In order to warsh over the world,

The Stranger accepts it as it is.

In order to tell a purty good story,

The story doesn’t revolve around him.

By not offering any answers, he provides the answer.

By not self-applying a name, he seems eternal.

He has never seen the Queen in her damned undies,

But he gets to see things every bit as stupefying.

He does not eat the bear, so the bear does not eat him.

He does not curse anyone, so he is never cursed.

The Stranger said, “Take it easy, Dude–I know that you will.”

Yeah, man. Well, you know, the Dude abides.

The Dude Abides.

I guess we can close the file on that one.

Tao Te Ching: 22

Only that which is humbled can be improved.

Only that which is broken can be attended to.

Only that which is emptied can be filled up.

Only that which is worn out can be rejuvenated.

Only one who possesses little can ever hope to be satisfied—

This is why those who clutch at success, wealth and status

Come to feel as if deprived.

Therefore, in order that he can help husband the world,

The sage embraces a unity of opposites.

In order to attend to its totality,

He does not focus on himself.

By not claiming to be right,
He becomes righteous.

By not admiring himself,

He merits admiration.

By not being arrogant,

He emerges as a natural leader.

It is only because he does not fight with the world,

That the world embraces him with ease.

The old masters said, “He who surrenders, wins.”

This was not just a clever saying.

He who humbles himself,

Finds a fount of power within,

And a world of welcome without,

So he is able to overcome anything.