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| Confucius |
First, I must first tell you about my early years. I was born in China in 551 BC. My father, Heih was governor of one of the areas in China. He was in his seventies when I was born, and he died when I was three. My mother, a beautiful woman, much younger than my father, taught me to work hard, live humbly, and serve my fellow man.
From an early age, I was taught that I was no better than any of the other children in the village. My father's status as governor was an honor he had earned, not mine, and I was made to work in the garden, tend the herds, and bring food and water.
"Let a man's labor be proportioned to his needs, for he who works beyond his strength does but add to his cares and disappointments. A man should be moderate even in his efforts."
Our life was simple. Hard work helped develop my body. Quiet times at work gave me time to think about nature. I loved the beauty of the world, especially music.
I learned to play the lute, which is similar to today's guitar. Great happiness for me was to play and sing songs that I made up. People would come from far and near to hear my songs, and I thanked heaven for my ability to entertain them.
Because of my father's position, I was considered a 'prince'. I was what today would be called a 'pauper prince'. We owned land but not wealth in monetary terms.
As I got older, my duty was to ride throughout our state and make sure the people were living in harmony and there was no unrest. Numerous times I found herders fighting over cattle, or where the goats were to graze. I would tell them to treat each other as they wished to be treated. Today it is known as "The Golden Rule". To me, it was a way of life.
I learned to play the lute, which is similar to today's guitar. Great happiness for me was to play and sing songs that I made up. People would come from far and near to hear my songs, and I thanked heaven for my ability to entertain them.
Because of my father's position, I was considered a 'prince'. I was what today would be called a 'pauper prince'. We owned land but not wealth in monetary terms.
As I got older, my duty was to ride throughout our state and make sure the people were living in harmony and there was no unrest. Numerous times I found herders fighting over cattle, or where the goats were to graze. I would tell them to treat each other as they wished to be treated. Today it is known as "The Golden Rule". To me, it was a way of life.
Once when I become weary of all the fighting occurring among my people, I painted a symbol of love and friendship on a piece of wood and placed it in front of my tent. It became a flag of peace that people would carry with them in a show of friendship to strangers.
I tried to teach people that quarreling is useless. It tires the body and mind. It causes what you call stress and in the end, no one really wins since each body has been depleted by the friction.
I was considered a teacher in my time. Now I am called a philosopher. I believed that every truth has four corners and as a teacher, I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three. When a man has been helped around one corner of a square and cannot manage by himself to get around the other three, he is unworthy of further assistance.
I tried to teach people that quarreling is useless. It tires the body and mind. It causes what you call stress and in the end, no one really wins since each body has been depleted by the friction.
I was considered a teacher in my time. Now I am called a philosopher. I believed that every truth has four corners and as a teacher, I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three. When a man has been helped around one corner of a square and cannot manage by himself to get around the other three, he is unworthy of further assistance.
Perhaps some of the things I believed in that long ago time would be useful to the people of today. Some of them I learned from a great Chinese philosopher, Lao-tsze. I present some of those thoughts to you now. Be guided by them, use them in your life, and you will create a world for yourself that brings you great happiness.
"As riches adorn a house, so does an expanded mind adorn and tranquilize the body. Hence, it is that the superior man will seek to establish his motives on correct principles."
"Beware of ever over doing that which you are likely, sooner or later, to repent of having done."
"The men of old spoke little. It would be well to imitate them, for those who talk much are sure to say something it would be better left unsaid."
"A man must reason calmly for, without reason, he would look and not see, listen and not hear."
"We should not search for love or demand it, but so live that it will flow to us."
Perhaps my thoughts and beliefs would be laughed at in your world today. It is indeed a much different world than mine, more complex, industrialized. We lived simply in my time, working the land, tending the cattle and using our hand to build without machinery.
"As riches adorn a house, so does an expanded mind adorn and tranquilize the body. Hence, it is that the superior man will seek to establish his motives on correct principles."
"Beware of ever over doing that which you are likely, sooner or later, to repent of having done."
"The men of old spoke little. It would be well to imitate them, for those who talk much are sure to say something it would be better left unsaid."
"A man must reason calmly for, without reason, he would look and not see, listen and not hear."
"We should not search for love or demand it, but so live that it will flow to us."
Perhaps my thoughts and beliefs would be laughed at in your world today. It is indeed a much different world than mine, more complex, industrialized. We lived simply in my time, working the land, tending the cattle and using our hand to build without machinery.
Somehow I feel that the words and ideas can be used anytime, with any people. I hope you will consider them in the context of your world. I also hope that you will find joy in the life you live.
Love the land and all of nature. Be thoughtful of your neighbor, and work so that you feel you have always done your best. Treat yourself with kindness and treat others as you would treat yourself.
M.Bradley McCauley
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