Summer Talk

I vaguely remember I’d once talked about autumn last year. I’m too lazy to flip through the past entries to verify that.. heh.. leave the past alone and let’s look ahead, perhaps.

If we are counting by the Lunar Calendar, today is the first day of the summer season. But who cares? But, don’t we remember we can always pick up a lesson or two just from any aspect of nature?

Not to worry, I’m not going to conduct a “lesson” here about summer. A few random thoughts flushed through the little brain of mine and I’m now merely trying to put them into words. Let's talk about summer (and other seasons) in a more abstract/figurative sense.

Summer is the season of growth.
(春天萌生，夏天滋长，秋天收获，冬天储藏。Or simply春生夏长，秋收冬藏。)
We do like growth, don’t we? It simply suggests getting stronger or getting nearer to harvesting. This stage is so crucial. How it grows determines the quality of our harvest which in turn determines the quality of life after the harvest. I see that these principles apply well not just in agriculture, but in our daily affairs too. We want results or we want to be rewarded (harvest), then of course we have to put in genuine effort throughout the journey to success (growth).

This is also a season with plentiful of sunlight. The sunlight is so important in the role of ensuring a healthy growth. However, the word “sun” for many youngsters is well-associated with “play”. Oh, carry on and have our fun. At the same time, please look after our crops and ensure sufficient irrigation, if not the scorching heat might act too harshly and there goes a promising bountiful harvest.

If we are just looking forward to a good harvest without wanting to put it any effort, we must be dreaming. Nature teaches us this very well.
(Someone protested : But there are many people, practically doing nothing but leading such a wonderful life leh??!! …
Heh.. If we are talking just within the context of a life-time, I’m afraid our perspective is just not wide enough.)

此乃『一分耕耘， 一分收获』之理。
若一无所为、空想不作或有心无力者，而成日是想着要得到好收成，那便是妙想天开也。

By the way, have we remembered to sow the seeds in the first place during the season of spring? If not, we don't even need to talk about growth? Simply irrelevant. And when winter comes, it will be a sad sad story.
Ha.. See we must not just do the right thing, but also doing the right thing at the right time.

~ ~ (Some) Effects of Summer ~ ~

Undoubtedly, different "input" resulting in different "output". I am not too sure whether you have decided how you want to become at the end of this summer. Or rather, what you intend to harvest this coming autumn? The bitter winter can only be bearable, if the harvest during autumn is good.