在众多色彩缤纷的礼物中，我尤其珍视这枚简单的铜币。

原文英文

At a lunch banquet for my 14th birthday, my uncle, a professor of philosophy, gave me a copper coin as a gift. Among the many colorful and varied presents, I especially cherished this simple coin and carefully kept it in a drawer.

As I grew older, I gradually realized that this copper coin embodied many life philosophies.

The coin is square on the inside and round on the outside, much like the process of personal growth. When a person first comes into the world, they are pure and untainted, just like the square center of the coin—upright and flawless. From birth to maturity, the passage of time continually polishes the “coin” of life. In this process, one experiences countless failures, disappointments, and helpless moments. In order not to fall behind and to stand out, we rise again and again after setbacks, reflect on our lessons, and keep moving forward. Whether weak or strong, everyone must undergo such refinement.

Gradually, a person becomes more flexible and worldly, like the rounded edge of the coin, learning to adapt and navigate life, developing their own way of dealing with the world, and eventually beginning to stand out in society. However, during this process, some fail to complete this “polishing,” encountering repeated obstacles, falling into frustration and confusion, and even beginning to complain about the coldness of human relationships.