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Between Hurricanes
Gaston dumped on us yesterday and now Frances is taking aim. I haven't been to the beach since the 4th of July--tenants told us the house was OK except for some minor screen damage, but we are hopeful that we'll get a new roof--the old one's been there since Hugo.
I was planning to go down there last week, but my car had problems (has now been at the garage for a week--love this guy, but dealership next time). Then I was planning to go this Wednesday but my sister had told the people there now that they could have an extension if they needed it (they're waiting to move into their own house) and they think they do. Also she rented it 9/7-11, but told me not to worry, I could go the next week. And then last night she agreed to rent it the following week, and it was already rented for the next 10 days. So if Frances comes this weekend, I may not get there until Sept. 24!! Serious withdrawal.
She's less than sympathetic because it was vacant in July, but I was in Chicago. Hmmm. She and I have done very well at making decisions about the house without discord, but I need to find a way to get a little more time without making her feel taken advantage of. We've had a big expense with tapping into county water, and she wants money to make some big changes--new floor, etc. I agree with most of them but not quite so urgently. So just hope we can find a way to balance this.
At one point my mother had thought about selling the house before she died rather than leave it to the two of us--she foresaw this difference and didn't want the house to be a source of discord. But my sister is really all the family I have left, except a few distance cousins and of course my children and step children. I think it's better that we are forced to deal with each other, even if it's difficult. I'm not about to cause a serious rift in the relationship just for a few more days down there, but want to find a way we can both be happy.
Unfortunately my mother also left both of us her strong ego and will--quite evenly divided.
I watched Hidalgo last night--for Viggo and for the horses. Both beautiful, but more than a bit of cultural stereotyping in spite of Omar Sharif. I liked him a lot better in Monsieur Ibrahim, a truly charming but sad movie, with wonderful characters and great photography of Turkey or some look-alike.
I'm trying to decide whether to go to Hero now or wait for my husband to come back down here. I could do both! I think I'll see what happens about the beach--I'll wait unless I'm stuck here, in which case I'll go. But I'd better tell him so he doesn't go up there. He's also not big on fantasy so I didn't go to the most recent Harry Potter yet either--which has really taken restraint. So I can have a great escape this weekend if I don't get to the beach.
15 Chien: Modesty
Kun, the receptive, earth is over Ken: keeping still, mountain.
The judgement
MODESTY creates success.
The superior man carries things through.
It is the law of heaven to make fullness empty and to make full what is modest; when the sun is at its zenith, it must, according to the law of heaven, turn toward its setting, and at its nadir it rises toward a new dawn. In obedience to the same law, the moon when it is full begins to wane, and when empty of light it waxes again. This heavenly law works itself out in the fates of men also. It is the law of earth to alter the full and to contribute to the modest. High mountains are worn down by the waters, and the valleys are filled up. It is the law of fate to undermine what is full and to prosper the modest. And men also hate fullness and love the modest.
The destinies of men are subject to immutable laws that must fulfil themselves. But man has it in his power to shape his fate, according as his behaviour exposes him to the influence of benevolent or of destructive forces. When a man holds a high position and is nevertheless modest, he shines with the light of wisdom; if he is in a lowly position and is modest, he cannot be passed by. Thus the superior man can carry out his work to the end without boasting of what he has achieved.
The image
Within the earth, a mountain:
The image of MODESTY.
Thus the superior man reduces that which is too much,
And augments that which is too little.
He weighs things and makes them equal.
The wealth of the earth in which a mountain is hidden is not visible to the eye, because the depths are offset by the height of the mountain. Thus high and low competent each other and the result is the plain. Here an effect that it took a long time to achieve, but that in the end seems easy of accomplishment and self-evident, is used as the image of modesty. The superior man does the same thing when he establishes order in the world; he equalises the extremes that are the source of social discontent and thereby creates just and equable conditions.
I dislike the use of "man" for "human" but don't know if that comes from the original Chinese,later Chinese commentary, the German translation/commentary, or the English translation. For the sake of liking this better, and what I know of early Taoism (precious little), I'm choosing to believe the original says "human" and so will edit out the sexism in future quotes.
It's always interesting to me how the commentary moves from the image to the idea. I wouldn't have thought of Modesty as being equivalent to carrying through (though now I see how it can be) or to social justice (again, it makes sense). Just an idea of first things first. Get on it with it--don't talk about it, just do it.
I'm not seeing a personal reading here as easily--I keep thinking about having this read to the Republican Convention.
But personally--well, just keep on writing is the message I get. Keep sitting in the chair, turning out the words, and leave off worrying about how it looks to others, for good or bad.
Or maybe try harder with my sister--just and equitable conditions.
(/lj-cut>
I was planning to go down there last week, but my car had problems (has now been at the garage for a week--love this guy, but dealership next time). Then I was planning to go this Wednesday but my sister had told the people there now that they could have an extension if they needed it (they're waiting to move into their own house) and they think they do. Also she rented it 9/7-11, but told me not to worry, I could go the next week. And then last night she agreed to rent it the following week, and it was already rented for the next 10 days. So if Frances comes this weekend, I may not get there until Sept. 24!! Serious withdrawal.
She's less than sympathetic because it was vacant in July, but I was in Chicago. Hmmm. She and I have done very well at making decisions about the house without discord, but I need to find a way to get a little more time without making her feel taken advantage of. We've had a big expense with tapping into county water, and she wants money to make some big changes--new floor, etc. I agree with most of them but not quite so urgently. So just hope we can find a way to balance this.
At one point my mother had thought about selling the house before she died rather than leave it to the two of us--she foresaw this difference and didn't want the house to be a source of discord. But my sister is really all the family I have left, except a few distance cousins and of course my children and step children. I think it's better that we are forced to deal with each other, even if it's difficult. I'm not about to cause a serious rift in the relationship just for a few more days down there, but want to find a way we can both be happy.
Unfortunately my mother also left both of us her strong ego and will--quite evenly divided.
I watched Hidalgo last night--for Viggo and for the horses. Both beautiful, but more than a bit of cultural stereotyping in spite of Omar Sharif. I liked him a lot better in Monsieur Ibrahim, a truly charming but sad movie, with wonderful characters and great photography of Turkey or some look-alike.
I'm trying to decide whether to go to Hero now or wait for my husband to come back down here. I could do both! I think I'll see what happens about the beach--I'll wait unless I'm stuck here, in which case I'll go. But I'd better tell him so he doesn't go up there. He's also not big on fantasy so I didn't go to the most recent Harry Potter yet either--which has really taken restraint. So I can have a great escape this weekend if I don't get to the beach.
15 Chien: Modesty
Kun, the receptive, earth is over Ken: keeping still, mountain.
The judgement
MODESTY creates success.
The superior man carries things through.
It is the law of heaven to make fullness empty and to make full what is modest; when the sun is at its zenith, it must, according to the law of heaven, turn toward its setting, and at its nadir it rises toward a new dawn. In obedience to the same law, the moon when it is full begins to wane, and when empty of light it waxes again. This heavenly law works itself out in the fates of men also. It is the law of earth to alter the full and to contribute to the modest. High mountains are worn down by the waters, and the valleys are filled up. It is the law of fate to undermine what is full and to prosper the modest. And men also hate fullness and love the modest.
The destinies of men are subject to immutable laws that must fulfil themselves. But man has it in his power to shape his fate, according as his behaviour exposes him to the influence of benevolent or of destructive forces. When a man holds a high position and is nevertheless modest, he shines with the light of wisdom; if he is in a lowly position and is modest, he cannot be passed by. Thus the superior man can carry out his work to the end without boasting of what he has achieved.
The image
Within the earth, a mountain:
The image of MODESTY.
Thus the superior man reduces that which is too much,
And augments that which is too little.
He weighs things and makes them equal.
The wealth of the earth in which a mountain is hidden is not visible to the eye, because the depths are offset by the height of the mountain. Thus high and low competent each other and the result is the plain. Here an effect that it took a long time to achieve, but that in the end seems easy of accomplishment and self-evident, is used as the image of modesty. The superior man does the same thing when he establishes order in the world; he equalises the extremes that are the source of social discontent and thereby creates just and equable conditions.
I dislike the use of "man" for "human" but don't know if that comes from the original Chinese,later Chinese commentary, the German translation/commentary, or the English translation. For the sake of liking this better, and what I know of early Taoism (precious little), I'm choosing to believe the original says "human" and so will edit out the sexism in future quotes.
It's always interesting to me how the commentary moves from the image to the idea. I wouldn't have thought of Modesty as being equivalent to carrying through (though now I see how it can be) or to social justice (again, it makes sense). Just an idea of first things first. Get on it with it--don't talk about it, just do it.
I'm not seeing a personal reading here as easily--I keep thinking about having this read to the Republican Convention.
But personally--well, just keep on writing is the message I get. Keep sitting in the chair, turning out the words, and leave off worrying about how it looks to others, for good or bad.
Or maybe try harder with my sister--just and equitable conditions.
(/lj-cut>