This Nonsense Makes Perfect Sense

In  2001, one of my students gave me a book “The Enlightened Heart” edited by Stephen Mitchell. Looking through it this morning I came across several beautiful poems. I wanted to share one with you from Lao Tzu that speaks my heart:

Some say my teaching is nonsense.

Others call it lofty but impractical.

But to those who have looked inside themselves,

this nonsense makes perfect sense.

And those who put it into practice

this loftiness has roots that go deep.

I have just three things to teach:

Simplicity, patience, compassion.

These three are your greatest treasures.

Simple in actions and in thoughts,

you return to the source of being.

Patient with both friends and enemies

You accord with the way things are,

Compassionate towards yourself,

you reconcile all beings in the world.