For the rest of your life, don't be hard on yourself. Let go of what you should let go of, and forget what you should forget.

 　　Sanmao once said,

　　"I stood facing the rising sun before the sea and said to myself, if time cannot be reversed, let all of this go with the wind." Life is impermanent, with ebb and flow, moments of triumph and desolation. People experience joy and sorrow, separation and reunion, just as the moon waxes and wanes. Living according to one's heart is the most open-minded and wise attitude towards life. For the rest of your life, don't be hard on yourself; let go of what you should let go of, and forget what you should forget.

　　Forget strife ; be

　　indifferent to fame and fortune, and do not contend or argue. As Lao Tzu said, "It is precisely because he does not contend that no one in the world can contend with him." Only with an attitude of non-contention will no one in the world be able to challenge him. Life is only a few short decades; everyone is merely a fleeting visitor. Fame and fortune are all transient, external possessions; you bring nothing into this world and take nothing away. What is there to fight for? As Nan Huaijin once said, "Life only distinguishes between high and low, noble and base, in the hearts of those blinded by desire. Non-contention is the highest state of life." Once, Tao Yuanming, to support his family, came to Pengze County in Jiangxi Province to serve as magistrate. That winter, a vulgar and arrogant official came to Pengze County to inspect. The inspector was of low rank but wielded considerable power; his words to the prefect were entirely dependent on his eloquence. Tao Yuanming, by nature indifferent to fame and fortune, despised such a person who abused his power and refused to waste his energy dealing with him. He sighed deeply and said, "I will not bow to petty officials for five pecks of rice." He resolutely resigned from his post, leaving Pengze, where he had served as magistrate for only eighty-odd days, and from then on chose a quiet, idyllic life free from worldly strife. The *Tao Te Ching* says, "The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without striving. Because it does not strive, it is without fault." This means that a kind person is like water, which nourishes all things without competing with them. Similarly, a person who does not strive or compete will naturally be carefree. The world is full of chaos; fame and fortune are something one can never fully grasp in a lifetime. Rather than striving for everything, it's better to have a heart free from contention. What is destined to be yours will be yours; what is not, you cannot force. By not striving or competing, not being burdened by personal gain, and not being disturbed by external circumstances, you will find peace and freedom.

　　Avoid

　　complacency, humility, and impatience. There is a saying: "Only by lowering its posture can the earth gather water to form a sea; only by lowering its arrogance can a person ultimately succeed." As the saying goes, "Pride goes before a fall, humility brings benefit." Arrogance leads to defeat, and complacency invites loss. Only by understanding how to avoid arrogance and impatience and treating others with humility can one go further in life. Mei Lanfang, a master of Peking Opera, despite his profound attainments in the art, never became arrogant because of his fame. Once, during a performance of the Peking Opera "Killing Xi," the audience cheered and applauded, except for one elderly man who repeatedly shook his head and said, "Not good." Everyone advised Mei Lanfang not to take the old man's words to heart. However, Mei Lanfang was deeply troubled by this and inquired everywhere about the old man's whereabouts. He respectfully visited the old man's home and said, "Those who say I'm not good are all my teachers. Your comments that day were correct; my performance was indeed inadequate. I've come specifically to ask for your guidance." The old man initially refused, but after Mei Lanfang's repeated entreaties, he finally said, "Actually, you performed very well. The only shortcoming is that you used a man's swordsmanship in the performance, which is unsuitable for the character of Yu Meiren." Upon hearing this, Mei Lanfang suddenly understood and repeatedly thanked the old man. From then on, Mei Lanfang frequently invited this old man to watch his performances and discuss his shortcomings with him, leading to a new breakthrough in his acting skills. Liu Cixin once said, "Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival; arrogance is." If one is blinded by pride and complacency, unable to tolerate criticism or heed advice, one will ultimately become stagnant. Solomon said, "Pride goes before destruction, and humility precedes honor." Water flows low to form the sea, and humility makes one a king. Only by being humble and placing oneself low can one learn from others and achieve something. Maintaining a humble heart, avoiding arrogance and impetuosity, and humbly seeking knowledge are essential for reaching new heights.

　　Forgetting Sorrow

　　: A thousand worries are not as good as a calm smile. There's a saying: "Worries are always there, but if you don't pick them up, they disappear." In fact, many of life's troubles are self-inflicted. As the saying goes, "Thinking things through is a pure land; not thinking them through is hell." A disciple was surrounded by worries, finding everything unsatisfactory and experiencing great pain. One day, his master led him to an open meadow and said, "Look up, what do you see?" The disciple replied, "The sky." The master continued, "The sky is vast, isn't it? But I can cover the entire sky with one hand." The disciple was stunned. He then saw his master cover his eyes with one hand and ask, "Can you see the sky now?" Then, the master changed the subject, saying, "In life, small pains, small troubles, and small setbacks are like this hand. They may seem small, but if you can't let go of them and keep them in front of you, you'll perceive these small troubles as very large. Holding onto them for a long time will, like this hand, block out the entire clear sky of your life. Only by understanding that life is constantly changing and impermanent can you cherish the finiteness of life, let go of pointless attachments, and calmly face the pain and troubles of life." The disciple was startled, then suddenly understood, finally comprehending the root of his suffering. Life doesn't inherently have many troubles; most troubles are self-inflicted, bound by our own thoughts. As the saying goes: "There is nothing inherently wrong in the world; it is the foolish who trouble themselves." Instead of tormenting yourself with worries, it's better to discard them and move forward with ease. As the writer Charles Dickens once said, "Don't let worries weigh on your mind, lest you grow old prematurely and die young." Worries and anxieties will eventually become the past; seeing them lightly is like taking clouds, and a positive outlook brings sunshine. A thousand worries are not as good as a calm smile. As the *Cai Gen Tan* says, "A wise person's mind only appears when things happen, and returns to emptiness when things are over." Those who live easily and freely know how to say goodbye to unhappy things, focus on the future, and always live in the present. Life is fleeting; let the past be the past. Take fame and fortune lightly, achievements in stride, and worries at ease. In this life, learn to "forget," simplify your heart, and life will be easier and happier.