When faced with a bowl of fruits, some good and some rotten, how do you eat them? Some start with the rotten ones, ending up eating a whole bowl of bad fruit. Others start with the good ones, enjoying half the bowl of good fruit. In life, we must sometimes know how to choose and how to let go.
Nothing in this world is eternal. Suffering is not eternal, so do not be too attached to it. Happiness is not eternal, so do not become too addicted to it. Time is not eternal, so do not waste it. Life is not eternal, so cherish it well. Life is full of impermanence; nothing belongs to you forever. As you walk through the constantly flowing time, tell yourself peacefully: You have experienced the rain, wind, and rainbow; you have cherished the blooming and falling of flowers.
On the road of life, we will be knocked down, bullied, or even crushed countless times by our own decisions or the adversities we encounter. We may feel worthless. But no matter what has happened or what is about to happen, your intrinsic value will never be lost. The value of life does not depend on our actions nor on the people we associate with, but on who we are. We are unique—never forget this.
The belief of the rich is to persist to the end. No matter how difficult the days are, they follow their original plan, step by step, because they believe that as long as they stick to the plan, they will eventually become wealthy. The poor, on the other hand, often cannot persist. When facing difficulties, they change their plans to make themselves feel temporarily better, living from hand to mouth. Reality is cruel; success belongs only to those who can persist to the end. Young people, success lies in your own hands. Whoever persists to the end will reap the rewards.
Life requires foresight. In favorable conditions, prepare for adverse ones, and ensure your emotions are never dominated by others. Without deep planning, you will drift with the current for life. Life is always flawed; often, gaining one thing means losing another. What matters in life is knowing exactly what you need. Chasing two rabbits at the same time usually results in catching neither.
“Love life, and be grateful for it. Do not show your gratitude by shrinking from its challenges out of cowardice, but try to live a little beyond the scope of what you think you can do. You will then discover that your abilities are far greater than you ever dreamed.”
