Chapter 10

The grass that will bloom

81 chapters,

Meiguo President Lincoln said: How can one obtain that drop of honey in another's heart?

Liu Guozong

Remember that Meiguo President Lincoln once said: Only when one person is willing to be influenced can gentle, objective advice possibly be accepted. If you want to win others' agreement with your view, you must first make them believe you are their sincere friend; only then can you catch that drop of honey in their heart and win their heart.

Friend, I cannot obtain your heart; how can I obtain that drop of honey in your heart?

The Creator said to me: 'In all things, do not form factions, do not covet vain glory; as long as one remains humble, each person sees others as stronger than themselves, each person does not only look after their own affairs but also attends to others' affairs......'

Then you will understand: if you want to obtain that drop of honey in another's heart, you must: 'see others as stronger than yourself, not only attend to your own affairs but also to others' affairs.' In this way, you will obtain that drop of honey in another's heart.

82 chapters,

He went looking for a donkey, but instead found a crown.

Liu Guozong

Everyone should cherish what we presently have in our hands, focus on and care about the work we are currently doing, and do well what we ought to do. Do not be like a kid goat grazing, wishing this mountain were better than that, only to reach that mountain and find nothing to eat.

The ninth chapter of the Book of Samuel in the Bible records the event of Saul seeking a donkey and obtaining the throne. Saul was originally a poor commoner, born into a poor family. Yet he was outstanding in appearance, strong and handsome, and moreover gentle in character. Once, several of his family's donkeys went missing, and his father ordered him to go together with others to look for the donkeys. Saul did not refuse because looking for donkeys was a small matter. He crossed mountains and ridges, bustling about everywhere, intent on finding the donkey. Who would have thought that Saul's effort to find a donkey moved God, and God sent the angel Samuel to Saul while he was seeking the donkey, bestowing upon Saul the crown of Israel. Saul's search for a donkey actually yielded a crown—truly a heavenly blessing.

The matter of Saul obtaining a crown by seeking a donkey appears accidental, yet within this accident lies necessity. If Saul considered looking for donkeys a trivial matter and refused to undertake it, he would lose that great opportunity. The story of Saul gaining a crown by seeking a donkey tells people: many small matters are connected to great ones, and many small matters contain beautiful intentions. Therefore, the Bible says: 'One who is faithful in the smallest matters is also faithful in great ones; one who is unjust in the smallest matters is also unjust in great ones.' No wonder someone says: 'Start from society's grassroots, start from small matters, step by step, undaunted, and one will surely walk out the glory of a king.'

83 chapters,

Dream, beginning from a single flower

Liu Guozong

Spring again arrives before me, bearing green leaves and abundant blossoms; all passersby wear smiles, and though they are weary, each person possesses a sunshine-like good mood, feeling happy. Like those infatuated bees and butterflies, I hide myself among the flower clusters. I wish to dance like them in the sunlight and sing among the flowers, letting all my joy for spring, at this moment, diffuse into spring's fragrance and beauty, to be given to those who toil diligently under the sun.

Although the dream of my youth had long flowed away like water, 'carrying the scent of grass and the fragrance of soil, unknown where it would go,' yet with the arrival of spring, everything that had ended in that dream begins again in the dream. The earth and the waters remain full of vitality. My lifelong dream has again begun from a single flower. 'My spirit admonishes me, telling me not to use my own language—' 'yesterday…', 'tomorrow will…'—to measure time. Before my spirit admonished me, I thought the 'past' was merely a segment of elapsed, non‑returning time, and the 'future' was an age I could never possibly reach. But now I understand: the present instant contains all of time, including the interrupted, the anticipated, the accomplished, and the verified.'

My Lord, I beseech You: 'Do not let me sink and disappear in the apathetic abyss. Do not let my life be shattered by the emptiness of poverty; do not let me—troublesome dust—surround me; do not let me wander many paths to gather much wealth; do not let me, against my will, submit to the yoke of the majority. Let me summon courage to raise my head, proud to be Your servant.' To be a truly meaningful person.

84 chapters,

I want to surpass the present you

Liu Guozong

Poverty and backwardness are not good things. A great person said that poverty and backwardness invite beatings. Those in ragged clothes, while deserving sympathy, are not worthy of praise. To live, one must live beautifully and wealthily; to act, one must act in the best way possible. Remember that when Napoleon was young, he told others of his ambitions and pursuits. His uncle said, "This is a dream!"

Yes, how can someone who doesn't even dare to dream have the confidence to do their best? When Napoleon's uncle said Napoleon's pursuit was a "dream," Napoleon went to the window, pointed at the vast night sky, and said to his uncle, "Do you see that brightest star in the sky?" It was exactly midnight then; his uncle looked for a long time but saw nothing. Napoleon said, "I saw a brightest star!"

"Where is that brightest star?" Napoleon's uncle asked Napoleon blankly. Later, shaking the world and renowned across the seas, this was probably that "star" in Napoleon's heart?

It happened by coincidence that Xiang Yu, who was still struggling on the poverty line at the end of the Qin and beginning of the Han, upon seeing the mighty Qin Shihuang, also told his uncle an earth-shaking dream: "He can be taken over and replaced!" Xiang Yu's uncle was frightened and hurriedly covered his mouth. Later, Xiang Yu, with his extraordinary courage, boldness, and daring spirit of struggle, fulfilled a dream of heroes.

I want to say to my fellow workers (I am also someone currently working for a boss): Can we secretly tell our bosses, "He can be taken over and replaced?" One day, "I am the present you, even surpassing the present you"?

Someone says, you become whatever kind of person you want to be. If you want to be an outstanding person, even if you are not outstanding now, you will certainly be outstanding in the future. As long as you have confidence, that "brightest star" in the sky will surely belong to you.

85 chapters,

Grass that can bloom

Liu Guozong

There once was a friend who told me such a fairy-tale story: In a secluded valley, there grew grass that could bloom. However, these blooming grasses are not able to flower at will; they have only one chance to bloom in their lifetime. Therefore, whenever it is their turn to bloom, they especially cherish their opportunity to bloom, displaying their heavenly beauty and grace under the sunlight.

One day, night fell, and an angel granted the chance to bloom to a small patch of grass. This small grass felt very fortunate: it finally had the opportunity to display its beauty.

The other grasses that did not get the chance to bloom looked at this small "fortunate grass" with envious eyes. This small "fortunate grass," thinking of how it had longed in wind and rain for so long before finally getting the chance to bloom, told itself, "I must produce the finest, most beautiful flowers." Yet, what kind of flower should I bloom to show my distinctive beauty? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple— which color should I choose?

The small fortunate grass thought and thought. In short, after much pondering, it still could not decide on a color suitable for itself. As the sun was about to rise, the small fortunate grass still decided not to choose what color flower to bloom. The red sun rose gradually eastward, the morning glow beautified the blue sky; a gentle breeze blew over the valley, and the grasses all rejoiced. They all waited in anticipation for the small fortunate grass to bloom the most beautiful flowers.

However, regrettably and disappointingly, the flower bud in the leaves of that small fortunate grass, under the sun's glare, missed its chance to bloom because of too many choices and too much hesitation, and thus failed to display its beauty, gradually withering.

Yes, in the course of life, we often face many opportunities. When faced with many opportunities, we must not be like that small grass, which, due to too many choices or fear of choosing, misses the good chance to "bloom for oneself," leaving oneself with regret, disappointment, and pain, and holding a grudge for life.