Water and Rock

When I took Tai Chi classes, they taught the power of yielding: how a gentle, yielding force will overcome a hard, unyielding force. Think of water. It’s soft and fluid, yet over time it will wear down massive rocks that are solid and inflexible.

As Lao Tzu said, “Nothing in the world is softer or weaker than water. Yet nothing is better at overcoming the hard and strong.”

The wisdom of this paradox can be challenging to incorporate into everyday life. In our world, strength is often associated with aggressiveness: winning the fight or dominating the argument by overpowering with sheer force. It’s good to remember that in the end, water wears away the rock.

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