Lao Tzu will let ya know what to do, uh

heaven and earth are enduring. the reason why heaven and earth can be enduring is that they do not give themselves life. hence they are able to be long-lived.therefore the sage puts his person last and it comes first,treats it as extraneous to himself and it is preserved.is it not because he is without thought of self that he is able to accomplish his private ends?
highest good is like water. because water excels in benefitting the myriad creatures without contending with them and settles where none would like to be, it comes close to the way.in a home it is the site that matters;in quality of mind it is depth that matters;in an ally it is benevolence that matters;in speech it is good faith that matters;in govt it is order that matters;in affairs it is ability that matters;in action it is timeliness that matters.it is because it does not contend that it is never at fault.
to use words but rarelyis to be natural.hence a gusty wind cannot last all morning, and a sudden downpour cannot last all day. who is it that produces these? heaven and earth. if even heaven and earth cannot go on for ever, much less can man. that is why one follows the way.a man of the way conforms to the way; a man of virtue conforms to virtue; a man of loss conforms to loss. he who conforms to virtue is gladly accepted by virtue; he who conforms to loss is gladly accepted by loss.when there is not enough faith, there is lack of good faith.