Lines from the Alley
English

15 / 20 · 4 panels

The Last Space on the Shelf

Panel 1
Doyun was assembling a display shelf. One screw remained.
Panel 2
It was closing time. Doyun set down his tools.
Panel 3
He looked from the empty space on the shelf to the piece waiting below.
Panel 4
Doyun put in the last screw and placed the piece on the shelf.

Source and notes

Original text
子曰：「譬如爲山，未成一簣，止，吾止也！譬如平地，雖覆一簣，進，吾往也！」
Read the source · 九之十九
Meaning
If I stop building a mound when just one basket of earth remains, I am the one who stops. If I tip even one basket onto level ground, I am the one who moves forward.
Modern adaptation
The story places that choice at closing time, with one screw left in Doyun’s display shelf.
Takeaway
Whether to stop or take one more step is a choice I can make.
Today’s question
What is the smallest step you can choose to take right now?