When Bruce Lee was 18 years old, he was studying kung fu with Master Yip Man. At the time, the future martial arts star was a hot-headed teenager. He wanted to win at all costs. It was about showing everyone who was the best around.

The Master saw potential problems on the horizon. If his pupil continued on the same path, it would not end well. Yip frequently tried to get the teenager to slow down. One phrase was a constant: “Stay calm, Bruce!”

Lee recognized the wisdom of his Master’s teachings, but was failing at applying them. Whenever fighting another person, his inner nature got the best of him. He would always revert to his old ways.

Yip Man kept reminding Bruce: “Learn the art of detachment!”

Later on after some reflection Bruce had developed his own philosophy: “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash! Be water, my friend,” said Lee during a famous TV interview in 1971.

From the teachings of Lao Tzu:

“The best character is like water. The water’s goodness is that it benefits the myriad things but does not quarrel, and it willingly goes to where others hate.”

This is a profound idea if you think about it. Imagine water. It seems to be soft, and weak. Now imagine a rock. It seems hard and powerful. Yet, over ages, water overcomes rock. The most gentle thing in the world overrides the most hard.

“Of all gentleness and submissiveness in the world,

Nothing compares to water,

And to tackle stiffness and toughness there is nothing better,

There is no easier substitution.

Be submissive to overcome dominance,

Be gentle to overcome toughness.”

We have a choice as to whether we resist and become disturbed by the tests we experience in life or instead be still, submit to God’s decree and remain in a dignified, stable and sound state.

So what does our beautiful religion say about this? The concept is beautifully exemplified in the Prophetic narration where he SAW says: “The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but he remains patient till Allah removes his difficulties).”

Sounds a lot like ‘Be like water’ right?

Even moreso, is it essential for we women in particular to contain ourselves when met with adversity.

Can you be more resilient when things don’t go your way or when you are met with God’s tests and life’s challenges?

Whether you choose to allow yourself to be blown about in the storms of life by reacting, thrashing and resisting what has been decreed, or instead choose accept what comes your way and ‘flow like water’ by carrying yourself as a believer (who is like a flexible, tender plant), know my sister, that the choice of state and the choice of reaction and response (or non-response) is always yours.

The experience of ever circumstance is yours to make. Choose better and be better.

Calisha Bennett

(Section of Bruce Lee’s story taken from an article on medium.com written by Peter Burns)