Know when enough is enough.
Restraint is partner to
freedom.
An overworked act becomes boring.
An outstayed
welcome is unwelcome.
An overplayed hand invites failure.
An overstretched posture injures.
Be sure to live throughout life!
And withdraw honourably.
Over?
Balanced!
'Going too far', 'Taking
things to excess', 'Having too much of a
good thing' are familiar expressions for
forms of imbalance.
In
personal life, this can be
manifested not just in over-eating or alcohol abuse,
but also in fanatical attachment
to religious beliefs or moral
codes.
In social or
political groups, it can lead to bigotry, an
inability to realise when long-held ideals
have become irrelevant or impractical to
implement.
The philosophical character of Tao is pragmatic: inclining
towards the 'tried and trusted', but open to
fresh perspectives - if they can prove
themselves.