There is an ancient saying that goes “even the most powerful politician or officeholder’s words cannot last beyond a few decades, but the word of the historian lasts for a thousand years.” Both our history and future come from within and what it is the motivates us. It is the place from which each new day and the dawn arrives…
If we want to think about following in the footsteps of greatness in our lives, we can think of many people in history who we can look up to that exhibited traits we can follow. It doesn’t have to be only Confucius, it could be many people, even those living today. It is in looking within where we find traits of what may be considered as great that we already possess.
The wisdom of Confucius is not something lofty and out of reach, or something that people today can only look up to in reverence. In the first of many references, Confucius says “that when we meet a worthy person, we should emulate him for his strength. But when you come across an unworthy person, examine yourself for similar traits”.
The truths of this world have always been plain and simple, like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. Just as we learn from tending our gardens—planting seeds, nurturing plants, and hoping for a bountiful harvest in the fall—we see the truth in the saying, “as we sow, so shall we reap.” Above all, the fundamental truth is that we are here to grow, discover, and advance our eternal spirit, while caring for the nature around us that supports us in this task. That is all.
Confucius was basically a compiler of history that preceded him. Taking the best of human nature that he saw and how people lived and melded this into how to live a reverent life. That benevolence and virtue begins within one’s family first then moves forward in what can be called “sound governance”. I especially like the saying from Confucius that goes, that we are to “Respond to grievance with rectitude, and that we are to respond to virtue with virtue”. Here’s another one of those words we don’t use or here very often… rectitude.
What Confucius is referring to is the rightness of principle or conduct; our moral virtue or integrity that dictates our motives… our character. That by looking inward we first observe our conduct and respond to virtue with virtue.
We should be reminded that Confucius lived in about 500B.C., twenty-five hundred years go. When we look to mentors that lay down guideposts as to how to live, I like to think of Abraham and Jesus as depicted in the early Aramaic Bible, to Aristotle from ancient Greece. To Emerson and his ideas of nature and his terms of transcendence. To Joseph Campbell and thoughts of living in bliss, to Confucius, and to so many more. That the words we read from them capture our imagination in such a way that we are able to say “yes, me too!” And importantly, the words that we speak from the heart mean something.
My travels with Lieh Tzu / Interpolations along the Way
Chapter Four – Confucius
52. Rejoice in Heaven and know true destiny
Can there be a careless side of rejoicing in heaven, know true destiny and still have 
no cares? Asked to explain, Confucius tells us:
“The training of your personal character, indifferent to failure and success; awareness that the events which have happened and will happen to you, do not depend upon yourself and should not disturb your thoughts. This is what you understand by the carelessness of rejoicing in heaven and knowing true destiny.”
However, in attempting to instill this order and make it plain for all generations to follow, everything soon deteriorates and whatever good inclinations that may have occurred soon vanishes. If this way does not work now, how can it work in the future?
I now know that what comes and goes is of no help in restoring order. Can this be what the one who rejoices in heaven and knows true destiny must care about?
Nevertheless, I have discovered the true way. Keeping to earthly endeavors and 
desires are not what is meant to be followed.
Rejoicing in nothing and aspiring to nothing are the true rejoicing and the true knowledge. So that you rejoice in everything, know everything, care about everything, do everything. If attempting to instill order cannot be done, why attempt to replace it if it remains the true way of knowledge?
Therefore, the training of your personal character, indifferent to failure and success becomes a part of nothing. As you are reminded that the events which have happened and will happen to you do not depend upon yourself and become a part of nothing. Understanding this, how can your thoughts be disturbed?
If one is true to oneself, then he can begin to come to understand the carelessness of rejoicing in heaven and abiding by his true fate. Having no cares coming in, coming to know heaven and whatever destiny that follows. 3/5/95
Number fifty-two of one hundred fifty-eight entries.
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