Do one thing well every day - 101 big truths in the wisdom small stories

Author: New Growth Reading Guidance Committee
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: There was a famous wise man who wanted to find a bright child among a group to be his student. The wise man gave each child a shiny new candlestick and told them to keep it always bright. But after many days, the wise man did not come, and most of the children had stopped polishing their candlesticks. One day, the wise man suddenly arrived, and everyone's candlesticks were covered in thick dust. Only one child, who was often called a "fool," still polished his candlestick every day and followed the wise man's instructions. As a result, this foolish child became the wise man's student. It turned out that intelligence is not determined by intellect. Taking one step at a time and doing one thing well every day—that is true wisdom. When facing difficulties, one must remain calm and composed.
During the Qing Dynasty, there was a merchant who had been working hard at business for half his life. Finally, he had achieved success and accumulated a substantial fortune, preparing to return home to reunite with his wife and children and enjoy his later years in peace. However, at that time, the world was unstable, and bandits often robbed travelers. If he carried heavy bundles, he risked not only losing his wealth but also falling victim to violence. After much thought, the merchant came up with a clever plan. He bought all his money in jewelry and treasures and then had a bamboo-handled oil-paper umbrella specially made. He hollowed out the joints of the thick bamboo handle and placed all the jewelry inside. Dressed in plain gray clothes and wearing rough-soled shoes, he traveled with nothing but a simple bundle, appearing destitute.
The plan worked perfectly! No one bothered him along the way, and as he neared home, it was raining lightly. He stopped at a small noodle shop, ate his meal, and took a short nap on his seat. When he woke up, he suddenly realized his oil-paper umbrella was gone. He shivered—it was his life's savings! But the merchant quickly calmed down. He noticed that his small bundle was intact. He concluded that someone had taken his umbrella for their own convenience. After a moment's reflection, the merchant had an idea. He quietly rented a house near the market and made a living by repairing umbrellas. He was friendly and skilled, and people were happy to bring their umbrellas to him for repair. He waited for his oil-paper umbrella to appear every day, but each day brought disappointment.
After several months, the merchant's umbrella had still not shown up. One day, while buying rice, he overheard the owner of a grain store talking to his assistant: "Don't bother taking that umbrella for repair. It's not worth much money—it's so broken. It's better to buy a new one." The merchant then thought that his umbrella might be too broken to repair, and the person who had taken it probably no longer needed it. He came up with another clever idea. The next day, he posted a fresh advertisement: "Oil-paper umbrellas—exchange for new ones." People flocked to inquire, and the news spread quickly. Soon, a middle-aged woman came in, holding the very oil-paper umbrella the merchant had been longing for. The merchant calmly took the umbrella, his sharp eyes scanning it and finding the handle's seal intact. He then handed her a new umbrella and quietly closed the shop door.
When he opened the umbrella, he found all his treasures inside. He collapsed to the ground, speechless for a long moment. That night, the merchant quietly left.
The merchant, who had lost his "treasure umbrella," did not panic. He remained calm and analyzed the situation carefully. With clever strategies, he finally recovered his "treasure umbrella." This story teaches us that in life and studies, no matter how great the difficulties, we must never lose our composure. Calmness is the foundation for solving any problem.
P10-11