Thus, you complain that people are no longer as they used to be. You hate scheming and maneuvering, discard smoothness and worldly wisdom, and even cry out loudly to topple this secular world. Does this help? The world does not revolve around you, nor does the earth orbit you. The only way to escape your predicament is to polish yourself into a useful vessel. I am not defending "smoothness"; I merely believe that growth is an inevitable part of life. If you live solidly and authentically, life will certainly reward your sincere efforts. I quote a poem to express feelings that are hard to put into words: There are no actors who never step off stage, nor audiences that never disperse. After clapping a hundred and one times, there is still a hundred and second curtain falling. Let us go. Rain always falls silently; the soil is not its grave. Only the long road is real. Walk happily, passionately, and seriously.
Have you ever witnessed scenes like these? The profound gaze of an elder in the sunset, a white-haired old man recounting his legendary youthful exploits, and an elderly couple near their twilight years walking side by side. For them, the coin has slid off the stage of life. Yet, through their rich experience and insights into life, they have become mature and steady. A heart weathered by storms can embrace all things in the universe, and their lives have consequently entered a state of stability. At this point, they are like triangles, standing quietly, looking down at everything with calm eyes, recalling their squareness and roundness. When another star falls in heaven, the triangle falls with a smile. Another corner rises—life continues. A square, a circle, a triangle: growth continues, life continues. A pure life, a smooth life, a steady life, and a perfect life unfold in succession.
