Philosophical story

How Far Is Happiness?

Happiness is a warm word. Everyone hopes to attain the happiness they desire, yet each person's definition of happiness surely differs: For a person with a disability, perhaps having a healthy body is happiness; for a child who has dropped out of school, perhaps returning to the classroom is happiness; for a beauty-loving girl, perhaps a beautiful dress can make her happy; for a couple in love, happiness might require only a hug, or even just a glance.

An Orange-Like Life

Professor Rowan Kahn from Stanford University in the United States took two oranges: one large but sour, the other small but sweet.He gave the large, sour orange to the first child, and the small, sweet orange to the second child.As a result, the first child complained about the sourness and was very unhappy, while the second child jumped with joy.

The Biography of Mr. Almost Hu Shi

Do you know who the most famous person in China is? Mention this individual, and everyone knows him; his fame is everywhere. His surname is Cha, his given name is Buduo ("Not Much"), and he hails from every province, county, and village. You must have met him, and certainly heard others talk about him. Mr. Almost's name is on everyone's lips every day, because he is the representative of the entire Chinese people.

Shedding the "Shell" of Life

Biologists have discovered that hundreds of millions of years ago, the cuttlefish (commonly known as squid) had a large, heavy shell on its back, just like clams in the sea, snails in rivers, and land-dwelling snails. Whenever it encountered a predator, it would hide its soft body inside this shell. While the shell provided protection, it also made the cuttlefish slow and cumbersome.

A Smile Is the Best Gift You Can Give Yourself

Whenever someone gives me a bright, radiant smile, I feel happy. Because I understand that they are also giving that smile to themselves. Indeed, in our busy, real-world lives, why not set aside a little smile to give to ourselves? Giving a smile to yourself means washing away your wounds. In the journey of life, we must possess this kind of attitude: failure and setbacks are merely memories, experiences that only make us more mature. Smiling at yourself while carrying scars is another form of life's brilliance.

Life Wisdom: The Most Valuable Lesson

Late one night, a Chinese man walked into a barbershop at a railway station in a small German town. The barber warmly welcomed him but refused to give him a haircut. The reason? The shop could only serve travelers holding train tickets—it was a rule. The Chinese man politely suggested that since there were no other customers in the shop anyway, couldn't they make an exception? The barber became even more courteous and replied that even though it was nighttime and no one else was around, they still had to follow the rules. With no choice, the man went to the ticket window and bought a ticket to the nearest station. When he returned to the barbershop with the ticket, the barber regretfully told him, "If you bought this ticket just to get a haircut, then I'm truly sorry, but I still cannot serve you."

Keep walking towards the sunlight, and your shadow will stay behind.

Leave yesterday behind. Cherish today. Strive for tomorrow. Hold on to what's right. Let go of what's wrong. 1. I never aspired to become exceptionally strong. I only hope to become that kind of girl who, no matter how much injustice she has endured or how many wounds she has suffered, still lives with a relaxed brow, an abundant and peaceful heart, and a clear, open-minded character. Occasionally sentimental, yet never artificial; sharp-tongued, yet never bitter or mean; never blaming fate or others, never harboring deep resentment. Sincere towards everyone, passionate about everything, believing that everything in this world will gradually get better. 2. When studying, I always thought the farther from home the better, believing that was true independence. But after years of working, I find myself wishing to go home every single weekend, because nowhere else seems to offer that solid, grounded feeling except home. 3. The worst feeling in the world is having to doubt something you once believed in without question. 4. Mutual warmth only works when both parties have warmth to give. Time can only save those who save themselves. Why should someone else warm a person who never tries and remains cold to the core? First, find your own frequency, then you can find someone who resonates with yours. First, become someone you don't dislike, then meet someone you don't need to please. When two people are together, cherish it deeply; when alone, fight on as if you were an entire team.

Life Wisdom: Bend Down and Pick Up Your Dignity

More than seventy years ago, a young Norwegian man crossed the ocean to France to apply to the prestigious Paris Conservatory. During the exam, although he did his utmost to perform at his best, the examiners still did not accept him. Penniless, the young man went to a bustling street not far from the conservatory, tightened his belt, and began playing his violin under a banyan tree. He played one piece after another, attracting countless passersby to stop and listen. Eventually, hungry and exhausted, he held out his violin case, and the onlookers generously placed money inside. A hooligan contemptuously threw some coins at the young man's feet. The young man looked at the hooligan, then calmly bent down, picked up the money, and handed it back, saying, "Sir, your money has dropped on the ground."

Efficiency means doing no more than seven things a day

Endless unexpected tasks every day leave countless professionals overwhelmed and stressed. Don't forget: "Efficiency determines competitiveness." Maintaining a clear mind and arranging your daily work reasonably might just give you an edge and achieve twice the result with half the effort. Japanese efficiency expert Yukio Matsumoto suggests that when faced with a mountain of tasks, you should first categorize them and identify priorities. Using the two criteria of "urgent" and "important," handle "urgent and important" tasks first, then quickly complete "urgent but unimportant" ones. Tasks that are "important but not urgent" or "neither urgent nor important" can be temporarily set aside.

Life Wisdom: There's No Need to Look Up to Others, For You Are Also a Part of the Scenery

People come into this world, and there will always be many disappointments and many injustices; there will be many losses and many envies. You envy my freedom, I envy your constraints; you envy my car, I envy your house; you envy my job, I envy your regular rest time. Perhaps we all suffer from farsightedness, always living by looking up to others; or perhaps we are nearsighted, often overlooking the happiness right beside us. In fact, in this vast world, no two faces are exactly alike. If you observe carefully, there are always subtle differences. Among animals, the rabbit is small and delicate, while the ox is large and sturdy; among birds, the eagle soars high, while the swallow flies low. People inevitably differ in intelligence and luck; we are always constrained by our environment and reality; someone will solve a math problem in seconds while you're cutting a fruit platter; someone will reflect on the gains and losses of their day while you're asleep; someone will always run faster than you...