The Man Who Walked in Circles

A merchant arrived at the tea house, his face lined with worry. He sat before the Daoist master and let out a heavy sigh.

“Master,” he said, “I have worked hard all my life. I have built my business, earned wealth, and secured my future. Yet, no matter how much I achieve, I feel as though I am going in circles. I reach one goal, only to chase another. There is no end to it.”

The master took a slow sip of tea, then reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small twig. He placed it into the cup, where it floated on the surface of the tea.

“Watch,” he said.

The merchant leaned in. The twig spun lazily, drifting in small circles.

“The river does not struggle,” the master said. “It flows effortlessly, and yet it reaches the ocean. But a twig caught in an eddy only spins, never moving forward.”

The merchant furrowed his brow. “Then how do I escape the eddy?”

The master lifted the cup and slowly tilted it. The tea flowed smoothly over the rim, carrying the twig with it.

“Sometimes,” the master said, “you must stop paddling so hard. Tilt your cup, and let the Dao carry you forward.”

The merchant sat in thought. For the first time in years, he wondered if he had been struggling against the current instead of flowing with it.

The tea in his cup rippled gently. He smiled.