On December 26th, Shandong Huiyi Company held its daily morning meeting, chaired by Mr. Cong. The session began with Mr. Cong leading everyone in reading “Sheepskin Scroll 7: I Want to Laugh Around the World.” Afterwards, colleagues shared their thoughts and reflections.
One colleague shared a memorable story that left a deep impression on me. He recounted hearing about the concept of “Buddhist youth” and “Buddhist girls” not long ago. Then he told a joke about a young man in Beijing who was struggling with his job. Feeling hopeless and unskilled, he constantly made mistakes. His leaders were dissatisfied, and he found himself surrounded by negative energy.
One night, after working overtime until the early hours, the young man took a taxi home. The driver noticed his melancholy and offered comfort: “Young man, it’s not a big deal. Everything passes. If your job doesn’t work out or you don’t like it, just switch to another one and take it easy.”
This simple advice struck a chord with the young man. He realized how different life in big cities can be—where even taxi drivers seem so carefree and confident. He opened up and chatted with the driver throughout the ride. When he got off, the driver smiled and said, “Young man, keep your spirits up. I went through the same process as you. It wasn’t until my family lost three houses that I truly learned to let go.”
The story illustrates that the so-called Buddhist lifestyle is often a byproduct of reaching a certain standard of living. To live a transcendent life, one must work harder than others, striving relentlessly to earn their place in the world. At the same time, it’s important to enjoy the present moment.
As the book states: “If all things in the world will eventually become empty, why should I be so concerned about today’s gains and losses? I want to savor today’s happiness. It’s not like grains that can be stored, or fine wine that grows better with age. I don’t live for the future—I sow today and reap today.”
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