It is always easy to know others, but it is hard to know oneself. It is easy to forgive the wrongs of oneself but it is hard to spare the faults of others. People can see things that are a hundred steps away but it is hard to see the back of one's own body. To be a better person, understand that a piece of jade must be grounded in order to realize its use, and a nugget of gold must be smelt in order to realize its value. Without high mountains, valleys cannot be contrasted. Who never faces obstacles in life?

Failure is a success in disguise; bear and live through it. Why not start with your own family with this beautiful teaching from my Heavenly teacher, JiGong:

"There is no one who does not love his son, Why not take the same loving heart for the son to serve the father? There is no one who does not love his wife, why not take the same loving heart for the wife to serve the mother?

How can people be so agreeable with their children?
How can people be so unfilial to their parents?
May the sons and daughters of the world, take ten percent of the love for their sons to please their parents.
How can people love their daughters so much?
How can one ill-treat the daughters-in-law?
May the fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law, use 30% of the love for their daughters to love their daughters-in-law.

In seeking good-fortunes for the children by collecting gold for them, it is not certain that they can keep the wealth.

In creating good-fortunes for the children by collecting virtues for them, boundless blessings will they receive.

Feeding your son but not teaching him, you do not really love your son.

Teaching your son but not strict enough, you are putting him in danger and bringing him harm.

Be attentive to small things and be cautious with minor mistakes, there won't be any loss in the end.

Fulfill filiality at home with all your heart. Render loyalty to the country with all your might.

No one who was unfilial and disloyal, could have his name marked on bamboo and silk (annals of history) and could have his name kept in fragrance for hundreds of generations."

The foundation of any construction or edifice must be solid. Wisdom will only be stimulated when taking adversities and punishments. Likewise to be a better man, you need to be wise to know the most basic duty of a man. Like the plum flowers blossoming in the snow, do the first step, love and take good care of your aged parents before it is too late. The first of the eight virtues in the Chinese teachings is 'Filiality.'

Author: T.A Chew Website: http://www.white-sun.com

T.A Chew, an accountant by profession, saw her mother cried in 1993 when his girlfriend left him. The pain of a mother's heart seeing her son with a broken heart is like an iron brush scrapping her heart. Life is short, never be too late to return the same heart to your mother.