Thursday Thoughts...

“Shape clay into a vessel;
 It is the space within that makes it useful. 


Cut doors and windows for a room;
 It is the holes which make it useful. 


Therefore benefit comes from what is there; 
Usefulness from what is not there.” 

Lao Tzu

I know I have some work ahead of me when I read over a possible quote and go yes, then shake my head in disagreement, and wonder if I've not read it properly.  This happened with this quote and so here I am about to dig in and try to sort out my thinking.

I am fully on board with the first idea - that it is the space within a vessel that makes it useful. A cup is useful because of the void within it that can be filled with liquid that provides sustenance or comfort.

The second idea about doors and windows making a room useful I'm less sure of.  I think it's the walls and the roof that make a room useful! The roof in particular is key in terms of protection from the elements and by virtue of keeping the roof up, walls are also key and they also define a space which creates its usefulness in terms of scale - a tiny storeroom or a large living area. Doors allow you enter it and make use of it I guess.

And then I end up being somewhat confounded because I am not sure I fully understand his definitions and delineation between benefit and usefulness...

Somehow benefit comes from the form of the cup - the structure? Because it creates a void? And usefulness from the void within? And for a room its benefit comes from walls and a roof and the usefulness from doors and windows. Is that because the windows allow light in and one can therefore navigate the space, see things and find things within it? Doors make it useful because you can enter it?

Enough pondering for one day. It's a tricky one!

Both the benefit, and usefulness, of a cup are clear tome!