Gaining the World

Fuel prices have gone up.

The war is happening far away.

When interests lie before us,

someone always wants a little more.

The world has been restless.

So have people.

Those who compete,

once they win,

think they will finally be at peace.

But once they win,  

they fear losing even more.  

Afraid of losing,  

they compete for more.

And so the mind is never free.

Having "something on the mind"

doesn't always mean being busy.

Sometimes,

it means the heart

is carrying gain,

control,

and the need to prove itself.

It also carries

"what if..."

and "still not enough."

Having something on the mind

means

the heart

always has something

it is holding onto.

The Tao Te Ching says:

“One who takes the world

acts without a personal agenda.

When there is a personal agenda,

one cannot truly take the world.”

To have "nothing on the mind"

is not to do nothing.

It is not placing yourself

at the centre of everything.

Do what needs to be done.

When it is done,

let it go.

Let things

take their own course.

When the heart is at peace,  

the mind is content.

Perhaps

to "gain the world"

is not to gain more.

It is simply

no longer needing

to compete.