1. Gradually, you will realize that you will encounter many people or things you find disagreeable, but they have nothing to do with you. Let others do as they please; do not waste your energy on anger that is not worth it.
2. I avoid overly enthusiastic friendships when there is no purpose, thereby reducing burdens and commitments. I refrain from idle gossip to maintain inner peace. I try not to dwell on the past, for the path taken is already set.
3. The most terrifying thing in a day is idleness; the most hateful thing in a year is a lack of pursuit; the most tragic thing in a lifetime is a lack of achievement. One unit of effort today can exchange for ten units of peace tomorrow; one unit of indulgence today will exchange for ten units of hardship tomorrow.
4. Wisdom is an ability, while insight is a state of being. Wisdom builds and takes through addition; insight deconstructs and lets go through subtraction. Wisdom is knowing how to advance; insight is knowing how to retreat. Only those who can retreat can truly advance; those who can humble themselves can rise; those who can bend can straighten; those who can be soft can be strong. A life with both wisdom and insight allows for true freedom and ease.
5. There are many brilliant and talented people in the world, yet many waste their lives merely by following old patterns, failing to cultivate virtue or expand their achievements. Regarding change: the signs of fortune or misfortune arise in the heart and manifest in action. Those whose goodness is profound often receive blessings, while those whose goodness is shallow often invite calamity. Sincerity aligns with heaven; when blessings are approaching, one can foresee them by observing goodness, and when calamity approaches, one can foresee it by observing lack of virtue.
6. Love is like a remedy that rescues us from a monotonous life, preventing our imagination from becoming barren and bringing romantic brilliance back to an overly rational existence. Love grants us freedom, leading us into the sacred realm of imagination, expanding our souls and releasing the longings and needs hidden by mundane life.
7. I could have chosen any subject, painted any sketch or watercolor; my life could have had different encounters. If, in front of the lotus in the spring rain, you had simply walked by quietly... in that July afternoon, if you had not looked back...
8. When a woman asks a man, "What gift do you want for your birthday this year?" it is a moment of headache for the man. He truly cannot think of what he lacks—for what he lacks is often something a woman cannot afford.
9. To attempt is to be the brave bird that soars through the clouds when the sun is obscured; it is the small boat that sails forward amidst surging waves. For the brave, an attempt is a new path in life; for the cowardly, it is a high iron wall. Does being together every day mean you are fated? No! Moving from strangers to acquaintances, from joy to parting, and from love to resentment—all are fate! The more one experiences parting and joy, the deeper the heartache and the more indelible the scars, the deeper the fate becomes!
10. #Learning to Accept Loss# Loss and gain often occur simultaneously. The honest person who suffers loss without learning will continue to suffer; the wise person who learns from loss will not suffer blindly. One must be wary of losing, for many small losses accumulate into great fortune; one must not always seek gain, for many small gains accumulate into great loss. One should not suffer loss in vain—be honest, but do not be foolish.
11. On the journey of life, one must first look far: without foresight, near worries will inevitably disturb you. Looking far does not mean abandoning the present, but rather keeping your eyes on the horizon while walking steadily, knowing when to take and when to let go. Next is to see through: do not be misled by chaos or trapped by rumors; cultivate a discerning eye to see the true heart of others, looking beneath the surface. Finally, let go: flowers bloom and fall naturally, clouds roll and unroll in their own time; melancholy is exhausting, and holding onto grudges breaks the heart.
12. I said my strength could be hard enough that no one could match it. But facing today, I admit I am utterly vulnerable.
