Grow Some Vegetables, Read Some Books, Live Well
Scientists have been sounding crisis alarms about population, resources, and the environment for many years. But like the story of the boy who cried wolf, after too many shouts people have become numb and regard these warnings as groundless anxiety.
Now the human catastrophe has finally arrived. According to the laws of historical development, humanity is entering a period of deep adjustment, and the present moment is only a beginning. Whether more and greater disasters will follow, and when these disasters will end, cannot yet be predicted. What is certain is that before entering a more sustainable model of development and governance, our species will pay an even greater price; this is a disaster that was bound to come sooner or later.
In the face of great catastrophe, just getting through it is enough. Human beings live in nature and must be flexible enough to survive to the greatest extent. When at peace, one must think of danger; when in danger, one must have the resolve to remain calm. Living on Earth, we must have both sufficient vigilance and a good ability to balance ourselves; only thus can we escape the various dangers and not be overwhelmed by anxiety in crisis.
These days I grow vegetables and read books every day, staying away from current affairs news, and my heart has become much calmer. After more than twenty days of gardening, the plot is taking shape. Pastoral life has rekindled my enthusiasm; I often ride my bicycle to the garden to work. My weight has come down—compared with my highest weight half a year ago, I have now lost 6 kilograms, and I feel much more energetic.
Recently I have also been studying together the commentaries on the Shanghan Lun and Jingui Yaolue by Hu Xishu, Liu Dazhou, Chen Shenwu, Ye Juquan, He Ren, Tang Ben Zhen Qiu, Yoshimasu Todo, and Ke Qin. In reading, seeking differences within similarities and similarities within differences, I have gradually formed my own understanding of the TCM theory of formula-patterns, making a little progress in my study of Chinese medicine. Over the next few years I want to read more and write more, and solidify my foundation in both Chinese and Western medicine; I do not want these years to be wasted because of disaster. Life is short, and every period of time is worth cherishing.
Two days ago I called my father, who told me that in a village upstream from ours, two sisters had been swept into the river by mountain floods and drowned; several days later their bodies were found by the bridge in our village. Hearing this, I felt deeply saddened. This year, such misfortunes must be happening all over the globe. Compassion is innate in everyone. To say these things have no effect on me would certainly not be true; it is just that the disaster has already arrived and cannot be changed by human effort, and the power of the individual is insignificant in such times.
Although I cannot claim to have foreseen everything happening now, I did indeed anticipate it in advance, so I was not surprised. Yet despite sufficient psychological preparation, after being in the midst of it, I still feel sad for the victims, praying that all the deceased may rest in peace. At the same time, I hope every living person will take care of themselves and get through this rough period.
Life is like being shipwrecked on the ocean; each person can only rely on their own strength to save themselves. One with strategy but no courage is a coward; one with courage but no strategy is a reckless fool. Surviving in an age of crisis requires both courage and judgment. Both cowards and reckless fools are easily eliminated by the times. Only by surviving do we have a future, so we must be neither cowards nor reckless fools. A knife has resilience only when it is sharp; a person must have endurance in order to "survive as the fittest."
I only want to live calmly in this present life of farming and reading, upholding my long-standing principles: few desires and little demand, following nature, letting go according to conditions, and enjoying life. I also wish that everyone can still live happily in the present adversity. As long as sunlight enters the heart, life will not be too dark; even in an age like the present, hope for the future and love of life will still shine like a bright lamp, illuminating our lives.