A great general, commanding millions of troops and facing life and death, never felt fear. Why, then, is he so terrified today by a mere small porcelain cup? It appears the general owns the cup and controls it; in reality, his mind has been controlled by the cup.
1. No matter how high the blue sky, it is still within your sight; no matter how vast the ocean, it has a horizon; no matter how large the desert, there is an oasis. After the flowers fall, comes the harvest. No matter how long the separation, there will be a day of reunion. May you, dear one, be happy every day!
2. Why is it that you, being independent and capable, find life difficult, while those who only know how to act coquettishly live more comfortably? It is because when you possess strength, others stop giving to you. Those who seem fragile often find a multitude of people to protect and help them. A person pretending to be strong will only be surrounded by those who need care. One conquers through force, while the other manages through wisdom. The strong often struggle, the weak often enjoy, and those who embrace vulnerability win the world.
3. Since the goal is the distant horizon, one should maintain more calmness and composure. The abundant fruits of autumn rely on the diligent sowing in spring; the surging power of the ocean relies on the tireless flowing of small streams.
4. People do not change because they meet someone; rather, they change because they internally desire it, and thus notice the person who can guide them. Only at that moment can your heart hear the distant call. Without escaping from burning desires, one cannot attain inner joy and peace.
5. Be careful, for you once said that we must not take a single wrong step. Yet sometimes, even the strict you will suddenly forget and turn back to inquire about the news of lotuses or the traces of the mountains and moon from years past.
6. Love comes and goes. Joy comes and goes. Happiness comes and goes. "Why can't all beautiful things stay long?" you ask. Dear, have you ever seen still water or clouds that do not drift? It is precisely because of the nature of movement in all things that beauty comes to you; since you once watched them arrive with a smile, then watch them depart with a smile as well. Everything that has been, will come and will go. If it does not leave, it will change. Rather than watching the things that once brought you happiness lose their essence, it is better to let them go.
7. Beauty does not lie in imperfection, but in the fact that perfection does not exist in this world. Ugly and beautiful, right and wrong, black and white, hot and cold, strong and weak, large and small, rich and poor, honor and disgrace—all are dialectically unified and transformed. In gaining, one is also losing. Gain occurs here and now, while loss occurs there and then, often unnoticed. A wise person is simply one who is good at weighing pros and cons and balancing gains and losses.
8. Those who avoid reality will face an even less ideal future.
9. Love requires nurturing and even guarding, but avoid excessive hovering.
10. When shooting a goal, the probability of not scoring is 50%; if you don't shoot, the probability of not scoring is 100%.
11. Every household should determine its expenditure limits based on income. If the balance is not maintained, one will deplete their savings. A financial plan is needed to record not only income but also the amount and purpose of expenditures. By being more rational and reducing unnecessary luxury spending, one can maintain a balance and save an unexpected amount of money.
12. When someone does me a kindness, I must not forget; when someone bears a grudge against me, I must not forget. The ancients cautioned us to remember acts of kindness with utmost sincerity and to forget hatred with great tolerance. This is a positive attitude toward life and a valuable way of treating others.
