I really like this verse from Tao Te Ching. It’s really that last line about stepping back from all of one’s understanding that makes me love this verse so much. But I think it’s only fair to write about the verse in the order in which it was written. So I’ll start at the beginning.

Loving and Leading 

When I’m at work, my job is to lead a classroom full of kids into emotional, social, and academic success. My kids come from a variety of different backgrounds, have a variety of different personalities, and differ in levels of ability, comprehension, and emotional capacity. The task is to love each child in whatever way each individual child will perceive as love – and to foster a sense of safety, care, compassion, and respect without forcing the children into behaving the way I want them to behave. “Can you love … and lead … without forcing your will on them?” It can be difficult, sometimes, as the adult in the room to not feel like I always know what’s best for everyone in my care. Leading and loving my kids looks like leading by example and getting to know each individual child so that I can accept them for who they are and create an atmosphere that allows each of them to shine. 

Contentedness 

Sometimes, things happen at work that are completely out of my control. A fire drill during nap time, a child having a poop accident in the hallway when our class is all lined up and walking somewhere, a child spilling all the contents of their lunch box and now I have to find said child something else to eat. Projectile vomiting, nosebleeds, diarrhea – you name it and it’s happened to me in the classroom setting. 

In addition, sometimes there are sudden schedule changes or administrative requests. Sometimes parents have very specific and inconvenient requests. Sometimes coworkers make the day more complicated than it needs to be. When Heaven gives and takes away, can I be content with the outcome? 

Being able to accept any outcome is understanding that whatever occurs on any given day is temporary. Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, it doesn’t last forever and the less attached I am to a specific outcome – the less stress I will bring on myself. I often ask myself, “Will this incident matter in fifty years? Will I even remember it?” 

It sounds morbid, but I even go so far as to think – “One day, I’m going to be dead. And none of this will matter.” 

Life is fleeting – even the undesirable bits. Sometimes we just have to detach from what we are desiring and be committed to finding beauty and peace in every outcome. You’ll always find what you’re looking for. 

Stepping Back from Your Own Understanding 

This is my 18th year teaching preschool, and I’m incredibly knowledgeable about a wide range of early childhood topics. But there’s always more to learn, and I think that’s why this is my favorite line – “When you understand all things, can you step back from your own understanding?” There are times when the things I know about a situation do more damage than good – because I’m unable to look at the situation with fresh eyes. I sometimes have to step back from what I know and allow myself to view things from a new perspective. 

As an Omnist, this is also the way I try to live my spiritual life. I found that for the short period of time where I was a zealously active member of my birth religion, it tempted me to believe that I knew everything. It was easy to reject new information or new ideas without really listening, because I thought I knew the answers. I didn’t like that version of myself. 

When we are so full of answers, there’s little room for curiosity, humility, and true understanding. 

Again, the Tao Te Ching wins the day for me in terms of its commitment to humility, openness, acceptance, and flow.

Is there anything about this line of the Tao Te Ching that stands out to you?