EM – Every morning when waking up, the lion’s task is to run faster than the deer so as not to starve, and the deer’s task is to run faster than the lion so as not to be killed. Is that the word “best”?
Discuss about the word “Best”
I was born in the central region, the navel of storms, floods and Laos winds. I have to make ends meet and was surprised when I went to Hanoi to study, everyone said people in my hometown was studious. I don’t know if I’m studious or not, I just know that I have to study to always be at the top of my class exactly as my parents told me when I started primary school. At that time, the students only focused on studying for exams so that they could get the highest scores, ranked first, second and third in their class, in school. Teachers and friends only care about those three people.
When I was a little older, I saw my parents and neighbors admiring this boy, that girl passed university, went abroad, etc. That nurtured in me the desire to be “the best”, to go to university. What university, what do you do, is it suitable for your forte, aptitude, desire…? I do not care, but only interested in having to pass university, the better the school (according to the criteria of difficult exam questions, high competition rate, …) the better, the more majestic.
Gradually, the habits that must be “best”, must be majestic, must make people admire, gradually penetrated my blood since when I did not know. Making the purpose of all my actions and thoughts focus on achieving victory and being admired by everyone rather than focusing on the goal of creating meaning and benefits for life.
Until today, half a person’s life has passed, to reflect on the gain and loss of his desire for the word “best”.
What we gain from the word “Best”
Thanks to the desire to win, thanks to the desire to be number one, I have “studied like crazy”, and worked hard day and night… The results achieved can also be considered as sweet fruit, always studying very well, always achieving results. This result, another result. But whether that is my true and happy desire, goal or just exhausted running to get the evaluation and sweet comments of people around is not very clear.
Like the natural world, survival is only for the fastest and strongest. The slow deer will be mauled by the lion, and the strongest lion will be the leader of the herd. With this mindset, I have always been afraid that I will no longer be “the best” and will be eliminated from the “game”. That relentless urge has kept me running over the years at all costs.
The journey of racing according to the word “best” is also the journey where I develop my inner strength from within, develop more knowledge, work, money, etc. Perhaps that is also the value I gain from the word ” best”.
What we lose from the word “Best”
The desire to be praised, admired due to the habit of running after the word “best” has been formed in me since I don’t know when. Therefore, wherever I appear, I want and try to be the central character, people pay attention. During the party, I must be the one who talks, drinks, and influences the most without caring about anyone’s feelings.
When you want to be admired, but if you don’t achieve it, it will cause dissatisfaction, inferiority, or disruption, create discord and turn to “personality”, a strong ego, and a “thorny” life…That is the worst thing about the downside, the biggest loss from the word “best”.
Another tricky thing is that because of this “best”, we do not listen to anyone, just insist on our own opinion, the mentality of looking down on others, erasing all their opinions or achievements that we call “dismiss totally”, just saying that I listen to myself, lacking in cooperation, etc. Is that why the number 1 in kanji is a lonely dash (“一) “.
During a visit to Italy, when I stood in front of the Duomo Milano church in the city of Milan, I was surprised to learn that this world’s fourth largest church was built in 1386 and 5 centuries (500 years) to complete. It took 500 years, through so many dynasties, so many generations of architects, so many historical events, yet the floors of the church tower are still perfectly connected, without a blemish. Standing still in front of the church yard with flocks of pigeons flying and eating corn in the hands of old people and children from all over the world enjoying the view makes the concept of the word “best” and “I” in the my body suddenly broke. This masterpiece would not exist if the “best” like me reigned in the architects, the people of this city who have devoted 500 years to this great spiritual and architectural masterpiece. Really now I understand the saying “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. However, to go together, it is necessary to have a high consciousness, to ignore the ego, to be able to connect and work together.
Probably, I misunderstood what my parents taught me. What my hometown conveys in the word “best” is to always strive in every action, especially it is the best of “self” and not “best” compared to others. That will make me better every day, I strive to win over myself, not blow out other people’s candles to make myself brighter.
In the past, I still hear the saying “At fifty, one knows the will of Heaven”, thinking that if you are 50 years old, you will understand the life mission and know everything. Only now 50 years old, I am old enough to learn about myself.
“At fifty, one knows the will of Heaven” is probably what the ancients taught that this is the time for people to continue learning new lessons in life, starting the second “primary class” of life, which is the beginning of life. Learn to understand yourself, learn to be a person worthy of being born. It’s time to let go of the word “best” and the crude “I” to receive more “together” and move on with the years of life.
