Clearing the Clouds to See the Sun
Hey, today is Zhang Xiaodi’s birthday. Whenever I come across such memorable days, I can’t help but reminisce: what was I doing on this day last year? And the year before that?
Of course, for it to be interesting and meaningful, all of this must be based on the fact that this day holds commemorative significance for me. In the case of Zhang Xiaodi’s birthday, that means from the time I met him and started wanting to celebrate his birthday. Fortunately, we met early enough—these nine years have given me plenty to look back on.
First, I want to sincerely wish him a happy birthday in this little corner where he can’t see it. I hope my friend stays healthy and happy, isn’t frightened by life’s hardships, and walks firmly on his own path with a steady gaze. Reflecting on it, it seems that since college, our contact has gradually decreased, but that doesn’t mean we’ve grown apart. On the contrary, I believe our relationship hasn’t been affected by distance. The greatness of a university lies in its culture.
I’ve witnessed him hesitate in recent years due to comfort, grieve over betrayal, move forward because of something on his mind, be loved for his cuteness, and ultimately, because of fate, lose two friends and gain a couple who love to show off their affection in front of me.
People, we have few moments of smooth sailing and many moments of confusion. But looking back, the difficulties we once faced were often just because our perspective wasn’t broad enough = =
Haven’t I been the same way?
Telling a Story
Language is a marvelous ability, capable of rapidly transmitting vast amounts of information between two individuals—not merely copying, but leaping forth, then vanishing in one medium and reborn in another—embedding eternity in every fleeting moment through words, expressions, and every possible means.
What kind of process is this?
—Leaping up, passing through dust and smoke, soaring over birds and beasts, leaving behind the dust and boulders, you who are reading these words finally arrive at—the moon?
To be honest, I don’t know where you’ll end up.
I used to think life was a network of interconnected roads, where people choose their own paths, walk together if they share the same aspirations, and part ways if their goals differ.
Later, I realized it’s not that simple. Life isn’t a complete graph connecting all possible nodes, where you just pick a seemingly reasonable path and walk it. In fact, it’s layered. So many roads, as distance stretches, collapse into faint traces. In this intricate, massive directed graph, it’s easy to lose your way.
Fortunately, being young enough gives a person ample time to jump and weave through these edges, summarizing patterns, beliefs, and methodologies through practice.
We call this clearing the clouds to see the sun.