Standing up for your beleifs

[Togakure]

I think the Old Baby said it best:

A man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.

Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle.
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.

The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.

Yes indeed. For Christians, this is echoed in the suggestion to 'be as children,' and "the meek shall inherit the earth." This also supports a "pillar" principle of Aikido--Harmony, Energy, Way. For some, "standing up" becomes blending with discord, redirectly the energy, and transforming it into harmony. By living in this manner, we strive to uphold the Way of Life. We are giving our life with every breath we take, every move we make.

Another common thought comes to mind which relates to this: To think you 'know' something creates barriers to further learning about it. Hence the importance of moving through life with an open Mind. [Kudos, Geoffrey S.]