What is Life, Ultimately? He couldn't grasp its true meaning, so he repeatedly sought guidance.
We confront life day after day, craving small achievements in our mundane existence. When faced with difficulties, we can only grit our teeth and swallow them. Everyone is only concerned with whether you've succeeded, but no one ever truly sees the unwavering resistance and uncompromising nature behind it all. Sometimes life presents us with endless troubles, sudden obstacles, and inexplicable sadness.
To usher in the new year, today is the Eve of the Lunar New Year. The greatest hope before the year's end was for the weather to improve, even if the sun didn't shine, we just hoped it wouldn't keep raining. Because we needed to travel to many places and do many things, and the company needed to be on standby, hoping for better weather, primarily for ease of travel.
Unexpectedly, this Lunar New Year wasn't just about the constant rain; a severe epidemic had emerged before the year's end, blocking roadways and preventing many people from working outside the city. Once key transportation routes were shut down, many external employees couldn't work normally, directly impacting the company's operations.
Life is said to be like this: a businessman was once troubled by a question that he could not find an answer. So he went to the wise old man again and again to ask for guidance. The wise old man told him: Life is regardless of how yesterday went, tomorrow the sun will still rise normally. He still couldn't understand this principle.
A businessman with a troubled expression came to the wise old man and asked for help. The businessman said he urgently needed help, although he was wealthy, everyone treated him coldly, life was like a fierce battle filled with treachery and deceit. The old man told him, 'Then stop fighting.'
The businessman was bewildered by the wise old man's advice, and left with disappointment. In the following months, his mood deteriorated, leading to arguments and fights with everyone around him, ultimately resulting in deep-seated grudges. After a year, he was exhausted and unable to compete with anyone.
The businessman returned to the wise old man, saying he no longer wanted to fight, but life was still heavy. He felt that life was like a heavy burden. The old man replied: 'Then, discard the burden.' The businessman was furious, angrily leaving.
In the following year, his business suffered major setbacks and losses, and he ultimately lost all his assets. His wife and children left him, and he became impoverished and isolated. So he had no choice but to return to the wise old man for guidance.
The businessman told the wise old man, 'I have nothing left, only sadness, and the world seems only filled with darkness and despair.' The old man told him, 'Then don't be sad.' The businessman seemed to anticipate this answer, and he didn't feel disappointed or angry, instead choosing to stay in the old man's mountain residence.
One day, as he reflected on his past, he was overwhelmed with sadness and wept bitterly for several days, weeks, and months. Finally, he dried his tears. He raised his head, and the morning sunshine was warmly illuminating the earth. He returned to the wise old man.
He asked the old man, 'What is life?' The old man looked up at the sky and smiled, replying, 'Every day you wake up, it's a new day. Don't you see that the sun rises normally every day? Life is that even if yesterday was filled with storms, and tomorrow will bring more storms, the sun will still rise normally.'
He couldn't grasp the true meaning of life, and was tormented by the constant emergence of new pains. He sought guidance from the wise old man. The wise old man gave him a seemingly simple but profound piece of advice: Life will never be smooth sailing; there will always be various difficulties. Don't dwell on past sadness; instead, start a new day, and it will become better.
Life will not improve just because you are sad; it will simply push you forward. You can choose to compromise and repeat your life, or you can stand up bravely and face it. There are no easily solved problems; you can only appear to be effortless if you exert all your strength.
Thank you for watching. I am Leaf Zhibo Listening to the Wind and Rain, Traveling Across the World, Recording the Inevitable Pain of Thousands of People in the World, and will update emotional stories irregularly. If you are interested, you can follow or leave a message, and I am very happy to communicate and discuss human nature with you.
