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A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition,
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.

Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn’t reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn’t waste anything.
This is called embodying the light.

What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man’s job?
If you don’t understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are.
It is the great secret

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu, trans. by Stephen Mitchell

Perhaps you remember the last time that you “muffed” a situation. Maybe that was an awkward conversation, or a decision ill timed, one less than definitely made, — that went sideways. When in business I made such mistakes more than once. Nothing is better than clarity when ‘being clear’ is called for! Also, some situations call for ambiguity, “wiggle room.” Misunderstanding occurs, when you do not communicate enough “wiggle room.”

The translator of this verse offers three contemporary examples that show when effective results depend entirely upon acute judgment. A skilled traveler has an attitude of flexibility. The artist proceeds with exquisite sensitivity to bodily sensation, to the tactile feedback of guitar strings, or brush with oil against canvas. The work of a scientist entails curiosity to discover what experimental results show. Do the measurements, the data show anything? At times the data seem to show nothing, no story…

It was just last night, the iphone alarm went active at 3AM. It happened not to be my iphone. How to respond, to being awakened suddenly, by another’s mistake with the clock timer app… The thought occurred, the possibility of simply waiting for sleep to return without feeling any resentment. So what was my attitude, my response? I regret to tell you that I did feel irritation, resentment at being awakened at 3AM. Resentment — as you’d imagine, delayed the return of rest.

The final thought of this verse: goodness and evil are on a continuum. There are times when I make effective use of my situation, nothing is wasted, goodness is realized. And there are times when I “muff” the opportunity. Then I reflect upon my need to have a more capacious mind and heart, a more mature attitude.

So, how is it with you friend?

No doubt, I have more than a few fuck-ups to learn from!

A Tom Petty song performed by the great Stevie Nicks: Stop Draggin My Heart Around. Male and female relationships demand the utmost delicacy, acute judgement to support the fusion of goodness.