70. Trust the Tao

 "The teachings of the parent's Tao

are simple and natural.

Yet when you try to practice them

you will be met with great resistance.

Children have been raised

contrary to the Tao

for countless thousands of years.

No one will support you.

But look around at the effects

of these countless thousands of years.

Then look inside your heart.

The Way of the Tao

has always been here.

Some parents have found it.

Few talk about it.

It seems to them only natural.

They don't call it the Tao.

They just enjoy it.

But for many of us

parenting has been filled with struggle.

There is a better way.

You don't have to learn it.

You already know it.

You only have to trust it."

Most of what people call the developed world is a capitalist, patriarchal society that pits people against each other. What I've learned over the past year or so of trying to live in direct, active resistance to this is that it takes more than changing material structures or work environments to counter the effects. It takes serious internal and interpersonal work so that competitiveness, fragility, and pettiness fall away and the urge to dominate ceases. One person's true power comes from their integrity and is never a threat anyone else's. As I raise my daughter, I must remember that if I try to invoke my power as a parent, I will fail her. Instead if I invite her to step into her power by sharing my own, I will be trusting her and showing her the Way.