Be Like Water, My Friend
My mom gets along with everyone. She is flexible. Fluid, shapeless, adaptable — she is like water.
She taught me the virtue of flexibility using a simple exercise. She mentioned that when in the water jug, the water took on the shape of the jug. When poured into the cup, it took on the shape of the cup. Water conforms to whatever container you put it in.
Water is a very unique element and it is all around us to learn from. It is flexible in its ability to adapt to its environment and yet does not yield to adversity. No matter what form water takes or the course it pursues it is still strong and is always working.
Water is natural and needed by everyone. If you look into our body, it’s more than three-fourths water. About 71% of the earth’s surface is water as well. Water nourishes all beings without competing with them, settles where none would like to be and flows over rocks to create river beds.
Now that we know water is in us and around us, how can we be like it?
As Bruce Lee once said, “Be like water, my friend”.
Being like water is not about being peaceful and calm at all times. It’s about not being rigid and stubborn about your beliefs, practices, understanding. Instead, it is about being open-minded and able to change and adapt to the circumstances we are put into.
Be fearless to explore the new you.
Be adaptable to change.
Be gentle, yet powerful.
If we can completely understand the properties of this amazing element, we can live a beautiful and purposeful life.
