Life is just like this

Author: Lin Yutang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2009-03-01
Features: The first collection of classic life essays by Lin Yutang, the great master of Chinese classics and cultural giant. Through the unique perspective of a life enthusiast, Lin Yutang presents the distinctive charm of poetic life, talented life, humorous life, and wise life.
Lin Yutang's philosophy of life can be summarized in one sentence: a comedic life view of tragedy.
In Lin Yutang's portrayal, the heavy mortal body transforms into a graceful dancer, with tragedy and weight dissolving into dance. His life is like the wind flowing over water—though there may be whirlpools and rapids below, the wind remains free and unrestrained.
The world is the only paradise, the universe is ignorant, life is a joke, and it is unintentional. However, it depends on one's own choices to "create" the meaning of life. Without violating the way of heaven and earth, one should strive to be a free and joyful person. This is like an actor in a play, who knows it is fake but can express themselves more genuinely, naturally, and joyfully than in real life. Life is the same—what matters most is not to calculate truth and falsehood, gain and loss, fame and profit, nobility and humility, wealth and poverty, but to live well and happily and discover the poetry of life.
To some extent, imperfection is the norm of life, while completeness is the exception, much like the saying, "the full moon is rare, while the waning moon is common." Understanding the world and life in this way will make us quickly become open-minded and carefree, with troubles and darkness fading away like the wind.
This book is a personal confession of the author's thoughts and experiences in life. The author does not wish to publish objective opinions or establish eternal truths. The author has little respect for self-proclaimed objective philosophy; the author simply wants to express personal views. The author originally wanted to name this book "Lyrical Philosophy," using the word "lyrical" to indicate that it contains personal ideas. However, this title seemed too beautiful, and the author dared not use it, fearing that setting too high a standard might be difficult to meet. Moreover, the author's main purpose is to write realistic essays, so the current title is easier to maintain the standard and is more natural.
Letting the author be friends with grass and trees and be close to the soil has already brought the author a sense of fulfillment. The author's soul moves comfortably in the soil, and the author feels very happy. When a person is leisurely and immersed in the land, their mind seems so light, as if they are in paradise. In fact, how could that six-foot body ever be an inch or a fraction away from the soil?