The story of the empty boat is an important #Daoist #parable. It’s about how we can avoid getting angry at the world and how we can live more peacefully with others. It goes like this: Imagine you are on a #river , rowing your boat. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the day is lovely indeed. Suddenly, you jolt forward. Another #boat has collided with yours. You turn around to face the offending vessel. You’re ready to scream, shout, and be furious—but you find only an empty boat, pushed by the river, which happens to bump into yours. In one sense, the story is about why we get angry. It’s not so much the misfortune or accident that upsets us, but rather the belief that someone intended to harm us. We often get more upset about someone’s intentions than about what they actually did. The first lesson of the empty boat is to stop imagining people are out to get us and recognize that, often, we’re all just muddling along. The second lesson of the empty boat is to be the empty boat. We shouldn’t try to fight against the current, dominate the river, or bump into others. As Chuang Tzu put it: "To all appearances, the wise man looks like a fool. His steps leave no trace. He has no power, achieves nothing, and holds no reputation. But since he judges no one, no one can judge him. Such is the perfect man—his boat is empty." It’s not an easy thing to let go of your ego and accept a faceless life among the masses. But in #Daoism wisdom comes from simply living your life, minding your own business, and embracing an unremarkable, humble life. - @philosophyminis