Tao Te Ching

“Water is patient; it can stagnate and let itself be coated with scum if need be. It is as gentle as the morning's dew. It is non-confrontational, even respectful, in circumventing the rocks in a stream... It accommodates by assuming the shape of any vessel it is poured into. And it is humble seeking always the lowest level. Yet along with—or rather because of—these adaptive, yielding properties, it is ultimately irreversible; it carves canyons out of stone.”

— Huston Smith 1919 – 2016 CE
from Introduction, Mair translation Tao Te Ching