Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu (“old master,” 6th Century B.C.) was said to have been fathered by a falling star. The Father of Taoism taught that to be truly alive you must first be.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” he said.

Next to the Bible, his Tao-te-ching (“Classic of the Way and Its Virtue”) is one of the most translated books in the world. In it, Lao Tzu explained “being” as an active state. Once experienced, doing and having flow naturally.

A senior civil servant who wrote his philosophy upon retirement, the sage advised, “Hold on to the center and make up your mind to rejoice in this paradise called life.” To have a good life on earth, one must follow the unwritten law of the universe and become unselfish, humble, and simple.

According to Lao Tzu, one must understand the whole to understand the parts. Greatness is a celebration of ordinary things. That, he said, “is the art of being in the world.”

Earthly goods such as money and success keep one from understanding the true value of life. “The wise man wears rags, but carries jewels in his heart,” he believed.

“He who obtains has little,” he said. “He who scatters has much.”