Life is like a song, with rising and falling tones and a melody of ebbs and flows.
Trust is a precious saving in life. This saving is the kind gaze cast upon you when rumors arise, the steadfast companionship on the path ahead, the full-hearted support when facing difficulties, and a guiding light that dispels the pain of slander.
The reason water can pierce stone is twofold: first, its focus—every drop moves in the same direction, hitting the same spot; second, its persistence—throughout the long years, it has never ceased its effort. Similarly, we can look at the great scholars of all times and places; they all embody the qualities of "focus" and "persistence."
What is the difference between a celebrity and an ordinary person? A celebrity's belongings can become cultural relics, while an ordinary person's items are often seen as waste; a celebrity's minor slip is called an "anecdote," while an ordinary person's mistake is called "foolishness"; a celebrity's strong argument is called "eloquence," while an ordinary person's is called "sophistry"; a celebrity's disheveled appearance is called "artistic temperament," while an ordinary person's is seen as "shabby."
I am not a pine tree braving frost and snow, nor a bonsai confined to a hall, but a blade of grass on the vast earth, adorning the picturesque nature. I am not a dazzling pearl, nor a fleeting star, but a wave in the boundless ocean, decorating the path for the brave and fearless explorers.
Spring is like a light-footed young girl, carrying a magical basket to scatter colorful flowers across hills and fields; she accompanies the cheerful streams, singing melodious songs to the green mountains and the shepherd boys. Autumn is like a master painter, holding a giant canvas to splash golden powders across fields and villages; she lifts a magical brush to dot the treetops and mountains with vibrant colors.
A blade of grass may never become a towering tree, but it can be the greenest and strongest grass; a drop of water may never rush like the Yangtze River, but it can be the purest drop among all waters.
What age is most ideal? What life is most beautiful? What youth is most glorious? The flowers say, "The age when I bloom is magnificent"; the moon says, "My transparent soul is most open"; the seagull says, "A life battling wind and waves is most magnificent." Life is not measured by the greatness of one's achievements, but by what one has done well. Therefore, when you see a dense forest, simply strive to be a tall, upright tree; when you see the surging Yangtze, strive to be a crystal-clear drop in the waves; when you see the boundless blue sky, strive to be a peaceful cloud. To be a single tree that resists wind and rain, a single drop that nourishes seedlings, or a single cloud that adorns the sky—such a life is enough.
People long for the orchid in the lonely valley because it stands solitary and pure, untouched by the dust of the world, yet such an environment is hard to find. Thus, people praise the lotus even more, because it emerges from the mud unsullied and remains pure without being seductive. We should be like the lotus, knowing how to purify our own souls.
The love between mother and child, or the bond between siblings, while deeply altruistic, is rooted in blood and kinship; it cannot yet be called selfless devotion. Only altruism and sacrifice that transcend kinship, bloodlines, and personal utility can truly be called selfless devotion. This kind of devotion differs from the definitions of moralists and the acts of philanthropists. It is not seeking spiritual solace from the perspective of the "small self," but promising and practicing responsibility toward the nation, society, and the people from the perspective of the "great self."
When the gale howls in your ears, treat it as a gentle breeze; when the torrential rain pours before you, treat it as water dripping from an eave; when lightning rages above your head, treat it as a passing firefly. One must never succumb to adversity.
The reason our lives are barren is often not because we have given up work, but because we have given up contemplation in our work: We must work continuously, and we must contemplate continuously. Life is a miracle of unknown origins and destinations, and existence is a temporal coincidence. We need to struggle constantly to prove our true existence. Thus, we must activate our thoughts and light the lamp of wisdom to illuminate the path we must tread. Life requires constant trekking; no matter how much merit or how many flowers you had yesterday, that belongs to the past. If one is obsessed with yesterday's joy, one will find it hard to enjoy today's purer happiness. Today is a new beginning, requiring us to move forward and nurture new possibilities. Life is an endless journey that requires the torch of life, until it turns to ash and tears.
Though a meteor falls, it pierces the night sky with beautiful light; though a piece of music ends, it uplifts the heart with its passionate melody.
Fielding said, "A bad book is like a bad friend; it may harm you." This is true, but one should not go to the other extreme by exaggerating the influence of books on character. In most cases, a good person remains good even after reading a bad book, and a bad person remains bad even after reading a good book.
Friendship is a highly beneficial saving in life. This saving is the helping hand in times of trouble, the honest advice on a wrong path, the sincere support when falling, and the spring breeze that wipes away tears in times of pain.
Reading is also a highly profitable saving in life. This saving is the key to discovering the future, the ladder to pursuing truth, the foundation for surpassing predecessors, and the strength for participating in competition.
Books are like ladders, guiding us to the halls of knowledge; books are like keys, helping us open the windows of wisdom in our souls. Time is like a good physician, teaching us to heal bleeding wounds; time is like a gentle mother, helping us soothe the traumas of the soul.
Some live enriched and fulfilling lives because they possess the ability to navigate life; others live mediocre lives because they lack the courage to overcome it.
