Einstein was a very playful child, and his mother often worried about him, though her repeated warnings seemed to fall on deaf ears. In the autumn when he was 16, one morning his father stopped him from going fishing by the river and told him a story that would change his life. The story went as follows:
“Yesterday,” Einstein's father said, “I went with our neighbor, Uncle Jack, to clean a large chimney at the southern factory. The only way up was by stepping on the steel ladder inside. Uncle Jack went first, I followed behind. We held onto the railings and climbed step by step. On the way down, Uncle Jack was still in front, and I followed. When we emerged from the chimney, we noticed something strange: Uncle Jack’s back and face were completely covered with soot, while I was not dirty at all.”
Einstein’s father continued with a smile: “Seeing Uncle Jack, I thought my face must be as dirty as his, so I went to a nearby river to wash repeatedly. But Uncle Jack, seeing me come out clean, thought he was clean too, so he just quickly washed his hands and strutted onto the street. People on the street laughed heartily, thinking he was crazy.”
Einstein couldn’t help but laugh along with his father. After laughing, his father solemnly said, “In fact, no one can be your mirror; only you can be your own mirror. If you use others as your mirror, even a fool might think he is a genius.”
Einstein felt ashamed upon hearing this.
From that day on, Einstein distanced himself from the mischievous children and learned to use himself as a mirror to reflect and examine his actions, ultimately revealing the brilliance of his life.
From that day on, Einstein distanced himself from the mischievous children and learned to use himself as a mirror to reflect and examine his actions, ultimately revealing the brilliance of his life.
