The Daodejing

The Way. It is so mysterious sounding and philosophical. I for one do not fully understand the way but I do believe in the way. The Daodejing was by far my favorite book we have read all year. It is so different from anything we have read and I find it completely fascinating. Especially at this point in my life I am so stressed out daily and I am just focused on the most stupid miniscule things and with the help of this book I’m trying to become a more chill person. I am trying to take some of the teachings from the Daodejing into my own personal life. There was so much that I agreed with from the opinions of how government should not play a huge role in people’s lives,that those who search for beauty are far from it and so many other examples.

                I think more people should read the Daodejing especially in today’s society. So many people get caught up in technology and trying to be things that they lose their whole sense of self. So many people are out striving to be beautiful, when the beauty is already inside of them. So many people are striving for virtue, but if they just stopped looking they would be filled with virtue. Now I do not believe in nonaction, because you must work in life or I believe you are not living a life, but what I got out of the Daodejing is you shouldn’t want to be anyone but yourself. Every other person is already taken so you should just be yourself.

                The hardest thing for me to accept with the Daodejing is the contentment. My family has been struggling financially for the past 5 years so being in college is a blessing but the Daodejing isn’t too crazy about learning. It’s hard for me to know what the definition of contentment is because it’s sometimes impossible in today’s world to ever be content and just stop because constantly you have to work and learn to work so that you can live. I want to take the idea of contentment not to the extremes but to be content not to want crazy riches.

                Chapter 79 has some of the best advice it talks about how even after resolution, resentment remains, and this has always been true in my life. I have been horrible at letting things go and not letting things affect me. The chapter says that those with virtue oversee the tally. I am all about this tally, I’m always thinking if I do this for someone they should be doing this for me and I cannot be like that in my life. It is way too stressful and makes me more susceptible to being hurt by others nonaction. I’m really going to try to start taking the lessons of chillness from the book and I really thank Temple for making it mandatory for me to read this reality check. I needed this book and it came at the perfect time. Everyone should try and find the way, or at least your way.