He dreamed of the day he could leave the field and do what he likes. He is not too sure what he wants, but he enjoy fishing at the lake, the feeling of owning the world, and simply watching the world move by.
He worked extra hard, learning about new farming techniques, use of fertilizers, rotation of crops etc. He made progress, but one storm killed his harvest. He slip into depression.
He picked himself up again, and swore not to let life get the better of him, and he tried again. This time round, he is more successful. Then his son fell sick, and he has to spend a fortune curing his son.
The second setback was too
Much for him. He now make just enough to make ends meet. There is just too much uncertainty. He find time for himself and fishing. He taught he has found the life he wanted, until he couldn't find the money to treat his wife cancer, and his wife knowing the situation, refused treatment too.
The farmer is full of guilt, and cried and cried. His son blamed him. He yell at his wife, whenever his wife smiled at him on her sick bed.
When his wife conditions worsen, he ran to the temple, and pray for help. He got none.
His wife passed away.
He used alcohol to lessen his pain. His son has to give up his studies to help with the family expenses.
He keep yelling at his son. He realised his son now smiled at him the same way his wife did. It hurted him.
He went fishing, and didn't returned home for days. When he did, he saw his abondoned field. He regret his despondency. He went back and found whatever valuables that was left was gone with the son.
He look back at his wretched life and ask if he could turn back time, what would he have done differently?
He went back to the field to toil. It seems to understand his pain, and he gave all he got to the field.
A few years later, with only work in his mind, and nothing else, his farm business grow, and his life and fortune turn for better.
There was another storm in another province, and a businessman came to him, wanting to buy out his whole farm. He told the farmer " quote your price."
The farmer said "take all you need"
The businesman said:" what can I do for u?"
The farmer said:" if only I stop caring about myself only, my pain, my dream, my life, earlier"
I need nothing, take them. Help the victims, just let me continue toiling the soil.
Sillyinvestor,
ReplyDeleteNow who's in a philosophical mood?
1) During the farmer's drinking phase, imagine how the farmer will feel if some wise guy tells him he is like this because he has no goal in life; no planning. Hence, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!
2) When the farmer has found his "One Thing" and doing well financially, the same wise guy may now either praise the farmer for being so "lucky" or admire the farmer for great financial planning skills!
Your story reminds me of trading and investing - when things go right, it's always I good planning, I better strategy, and I best goal setting! Luck never has anything to do with it.
But when things go sour, it's always bad luck, stupid big daddy's fault, and black swan events, etc. All of sudden, the "I" no longer feature so much anymore...
SMOL,
DeleteNice to do these little philosophical exchanges with u.
Many will think I am bo liao. But like u said, although our core is different, I am feeling the "liberating" moment recently
it would help me understand a little better what the true moral of the story is? from what i am understanding, it is with the benefit of hindsight that we understand what the best options we should have taken were.
ReplyDeleteHi ladykiller,
DeleteThank you for reading random stories.
I think your interpretation is sound too. I do have a few things in my mind that I would like to say:
1) I read about the issue of temple/columbarium in some new estate, I wonder what is the big issue as the surest thing that will happen is that we will all die one day. If resale value is the issue, then I think they are selfish bastards, if they pandan, scare see ghosts, then I nothing to say.
2) secondly, I feel the "I " is too strong in our pursuit of happiness, it itself is contradictory.
I have a lot on my mind, but can't really put a word to it.
But you are right too, on hindsight, decisions are really easy, but we do not have that. If we die in a month time, we will live very differently, but what if we dun die in a month time?
In our pursuit of happiness, let's not forget things beside the I
Anyway, I didn't spend a lot of time planning the story, I just wrote and wrote and let it take me where it goes, when it drift too far, I just delete and think of something else.
LOL, hope u dun feel conned after reading my comment
Sillyinvestor!!!
DeleteYou can also know when not to take yourself too seriously :)
Impressive!
Frivolous, wu liao, silly, carefree, liberating, leisure go together ;)
Happy wrote a poem. No reason. Just felt like doing it.
Then others follow suit, No competition. No one-upmanship,
Just for the fun of it!
Above the fun and games, notice what the butterfly did?
Added one word.
Reversed the sentence structure.
Added another bloody line ;)
This butterfly is the most unfettered one!
It made sense right?
hmm...
DeleteI do think I take myself too seriously at times.
LOL.
Ya, actually I wanted to write another poem about wuchang, too tough... End up writing the above story instead.. wuchang plus wu wo
A rose by any other name is still a rose.
DeleteSwitching vehicle is very boleh!
I don't wear tailored pants every day. Today bermuda, tomorrow jeans, the day after cargo pants. Girls bagus! Got a lot more choices than men! LOL!
I recognise the wo chang and your wu wo in your story ;)
So now you understand how I felt when you asked me to write a bit "clearer" in the past....
My kung fu not powderful enough to express so that everyone and anyone can understand :)
Hahaha, I remembered EY talking about her secondary school days where she and a few Chinese High friends are battling poems (斗诗). Game on, I also join :) We all win at the end of the battle, I love it :)
DeleteNext post write a poem, invite all of you to the ring!!!!
DeleteSounds like in order to achieve what appears to be peace of mind at the end, the farmer had to go through all the "bad" events before that. But if they culminated to make him a better person, are they truly "bad"?
ReplyDeleteRetailTrader,
DeleteI do not think he has a peace of mind at the end. What use is a better person when he only has his soil to take away his pain? At the very end, he is still clinging to his soil.
Hi sillyinvestor,
ReplyDeleteThese are the feelings that comes to mind after reading your WTF short story LOL:
1. Before enlightenment, till soil and plant crops. After enlightenment, till soil and plant crops.
2. Doing the same things outside but different feelings inside. Doing different things outside but feeling the same inside.
hmm LP.
DeleteJust realised my comment was not captured...
Btw why WTF story, WTF stand for what the fu**, or is there another meaning??
Your point 2 is just like SMOL's "its the reaction that matters"
I mean THAT wtf!
DeleteI read the post and I got mind f. Then I do other things and went to work. The next day I read again and have some semblance of understanding! This is wtf story LOL
This story hor, is like those Japanese movie Funky forest. Don't say I didn't warn you...you watch this at your own risk of your mind exploding haha!
Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZFbWC8uGgg&hl=en-GB&gl=SG
Wa piah! The video is really WTF?? I didn't know my writing also so WTF lol
DeleteHi sillyinvestor,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting story. And my takeaway is somewhat associated with my bias.
I always feel that every human is selfish, but that's ok. However, if one is self-centered, that's it.
Hi 15 HWW,
DeleteI think you define self-centered as super-selfish.
Its about about balance, and value system, i think someone is selfish, he might think I am stupid. LOL
Get past yourself can liao
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