The greatest difference between people lies not in the gap in their eyesight, but in the gap in their vision. Eyesight allows us to see the path before us, while vision enables us to perceive different worlds. Eyesight focuses on the road beneath our feet, whereas vision focuses on the entire world.
One must be able to endure lies, withstand deception, let go of promises, release all attachments, and eventually use a smile to mask the tears. It is better to stumble countless times while running than to live a life of mediocre conformity.
Seeing this situation, Dou Gu ordered his subordinates to withdraw the soldiers from one exit, leaving the other open. His subordinates were puzzled: 'General, the enemy is surrounded and cannot escape even with wings, let alone a few hundred men! With a few more days of attack, they can be annihilated. Why let them escape?' Dou Gu replied, 'It is not to let them escape. Now that they have no retreat, they will fight desperately. Moreover, the valley has lush vegetation and ample water; they won't starve. If this continues, even if we eventually win, our casualties will be heavy. It is better to let them out and strike them down during the pursuit.'
A true traveler must be a wanderer, experiencing the joy, temptation, and spirit of adventure found in wandering. Travel must have the essence of wandering; otherwise, it is not true travel. The essence of travel lies in no responsibility, no fixed schedule, no correspondence, no prying neighbors, no visitors, and no destination. A great traveler may not even know where they are going or where they came from, and might even forget their own name.
In life, there are always involuntary separations that happen unnoticed. It is the people, not the scenery, who age and depart in a hurry. The Buddha said that in meditation, one can forget oneself; how can one force others to remember them? When you complain that others are not as they once were, you have actually lost your former self. Be a grateful person, and every day will be as beautiful as the first encounter.
Responsibility is the backbone of a man, the pillar that holds him upright. What is promised must be fulfilled, what is undertaken must be carried, and doing the right thing requires bearing the consequences. Maturity in a man is not measured by age, but by the weight of responsibility he can shoulder. The more excellent a man is, the greater the responsibility he bears and the broader his scope of accountability. Even if one cannot be a great man, one must be a responsible man.
