The troubles and sorrows in life are not to be blamed on heaven or earth, but on ourselves. To eliminate them, we cannot rely on external forces; we must rely on ourselves. The sweetness and bitterness of life are entirely related to our mindset. If our mindset is not peaceful, if we are petty and short-sighted, it is a lack of magnanimity and openness. The renowned Chinese painter Liu Haisu once said at the age of 100: “To be a person, one must be magnanimous, optimistic, and unperturbed by praise or blame. Naturally, one will be content with whatever comes and feel at ease.”
Life is our own stage, and others are the audience in the seats. They watch with interest as we perform our own lives. Perhaps this play is very important to us, but in the eyes of others, it is merely a free show, nothing more. Whether good or bad, once our performance ends, people will begin to forget, forgetting the joys and sorrows of the characters. We have no right to loudly express our opinions on other people’s life dramas. Laughing it off is the most correct attitude.
Life has its limits; there will always be a day when the candle is extinguished. Apart from life itself, we bring nothing in and take nothing out. There are times of fatigue, but also moments of high spirits. Apart from life itself, we need not care about anything, nor be too serious about anything.