The Work is in the Work

The work of life,

which we may never cease,

is in the work

of finding oneself.

We must distinguish ourselves from the world

so that we may not accept the world,

as the Tao Te Ching teaches.

This work of life

we must never tire of

or retire

or hang up like a damp coat after the rain,

coming inside the warm home of pleasure

and distraction.

The beguiling and delightful music

we have grown so fond of

is inviting and free

and reminiscent

of everything we want to be.

But it is mere noise to drown

the cries from our insides.

It begs us to move and dance

And quicken our steps

and gives purpose to our feet,

but only for a little while,

a few songs

until the feet grow sore and tired.

We are dancing, twirling, spinning, moving

Joyful, joyfully exuberantly busy

but never breaking out of the circles of our steps.

We are moving and shaking and laughing and loving,

but not going anywhere at all.

The work is in the work

of leaving the dancehall,

of silencing the rhythms of our youth.

Of letting our feet grow tired of dancing

but never ceasing to move.

The work is in the work of finding the movement,

the moves that we were made to make.

Of heeding the call of the cry from inside

and silently, slowly working toward truth

and not stopping until we die.

The work of life

is in the work of dancing in silence,

and moving our lives to the rhythm of truth,

of getting somewhere and going somewhere

without even needing our feet to move.