When you love a person, you may admire his handsomeness, intelligence, and talent, but please do not love only these superficial aspects. His appearance, wisdom, talent, wealth, and career essentially belong to him. Only his kindness towards you represents true affection. It is this affection that secures a place for you in his life; it is his goodness towards you that makes you unique, and him unique as well.
The meaning of life lies in perfect enlightenment, which means understanding one's true nature rationally. Do not reject what comes, and do not cling to what leaves. Go with the flow of all things to attain freedom; letting go brings liberation. Worry makes the world feel narrow, resentment turns everywhere into an enemy, sorrow binds oneself, and anger creates a great adversary. Nurture the mind with emptiness, the body with virtue, all things in the world with benevolence, and the ages with the Tao. Let good words stay on the lips, good deeds in the hands, a kind gaze in the eyes, and good thoughts in the heart.
Do not seek entertainment that does not suit you or try to fit into groups that are not yours just because you feel lonely, nor fall in love with people who are easily accessible. Everyone experiences loneliness. Many people are not the hedonistic or cynical individuals you imagine; it is simply that their unknown loneliness remains unseen. Do not let momentary emptiness disrupt your persistence and thoughts. We are all the same; we must learn to endure the inevitable loneliness of life. Once you get through it, you can see the beauty and prosperity of life.
You want others to understand you, but often receive misunderstanding, because understanding stems from love; without love, who is willing to spend time understanding you? You want support, but often encounter resistance, because support implies shared responsibility; who is willing to support if they are not on the same page? You want to be treated well, but may end up hurt, because people always love themselves more. Therefore, a soulmate is someone who understands, supports, and treats you well—all because of love.
Do what you want to do, not what others expect to see. Many people are unhappy because they feel the past was too beautiful, the present too terrible, and the future too vague. Through ups and downs, we have grown up. Even things that seem like looking back are actually completed by facing forward. We can turn around, but we do not need to look back. You should stride confidently in the right direction, rather than looking back to blame yourself for past mistakes.
