After going through the lowest point of life, I truly understood Laozi's （ Great thinker）words:
Misfortune is the support of fortune, and fortune is the hiding place of misfortune.
according to the sentence , "Disaster and luck are like the two ends of a rope, mutually causing and destroying each other."
"You might be currently experiencing the darkest moment, or you might have already gone through it. In any case, these darkest moments are nurturing the turning point and take-off of your life."
"The low point is not the end of life, but the starting point of another journey.'
However, in life, it often happens that some people strive their entire lives but fail to encounter a miracle. Eventually, they leave this world with a sense of regret.
I remember reading a novel when I was very young: 《Man, Man》.The female protagonist in the novel never had any success in whatever she did. She had no partner and only her beloved dog was by her side. But for some unknown reason, the ending of fate was that the dog finally bit her as well.
Back then, I was young and didn't understand the hardships of the world. However, this story has remained deeply engraved in my mind and refuses to fade away. At that time, I only knew that the protagonist was really suffering.
Decades later, after experiencing the vicissitudes of life, I once again felt the despair and struggle behind the setbacks...
Reading the classic wisdom of Laozi, "Misfortune and fortune are interdependent", and thinking about the irreversible tragedies and irreparable regrets in reality, many people throughout their lives never manage to wait for the moment of "overcoming adversity". So, how should we understand such a life?
1、Accept "impermanence":
Fate is not always fair, but we can choose how to face it.
Life is not a linear narrative ("low point → comeback"), but more like a fluctuating river - sometimes surging, sometimes drying up, and even possibly suddenly ceasing to flow somewhere.
- Without "rebirth", at least "peace" is possible: Even if the adversity is not overcome, we can reduce the pain by accepting reality. As the Stoic school said: "Pain does not come from the thing itself, but from your judgment of it."
- Acknowledge limitations, but do not succumb to despair: Many people pass away with regrets, but this does not mean their lives were "failed". Fate is not controllable, but attitude can be - such as maintaining dignity in illness and guarding kindness in difficult situations.
2、 Re-defining "Meaning":
The value of life does not depend on the outcome , If "overcoming adversity" is the sole criterion, then the lives of the vast majority of ordinary people, even those who have suffered hardships, would lose their meaning. But in fact:
- Even the smallest existence has its own brilliance: A humble individual who failed to rise above might have warmed others with just one sentence; A poor farmer who lived in poverty all his life might have nourished a piece of land silently.
- Process is meaning: Camus proposed in "The Myth of Sisyphus" that the futile act of pushing the stone uphill itself can constitute a form of resistance and dignity. The meaning of life does not have to be tied to the "result", but can exist in experiences, choices and attitudes.
3、If destined to have no "rebirth", how should one live?
- Live in the present, cherish "this moment": Every instant has its uniqueness. Even in darkness, a gentle breeze, a cup of tea, or a smile can still be a brief salvation.
- Allow sadness, but don't let it consume you: Buddhism states that "all beings suffer". Acknowledging the universality of suffering can actually reduce feelings of loneliness. Sadness doesn't need to be forcibly transformed into "positive energy", but be vigilant not to let it become the entirety of one's life.
Conclusion
- "Good and bad are interdependent" does not mean "things will improve when they reach their worst point", but rather it reminds us: Light and darkness coexist. If there is no reversal in the future, at least we can –
- Not glorify suffering, but also not let it define everything;
- Not fantasize about salvation, but also not give up small resistance.
Perhaps the true wisdom lies not in "overcoming fate", but in coexisting with fate and living with the warmth of humanity within it.
