Do you know? I always think that the most interesting part of life is not the grand events, but the insignificant and seemingly meaningless details. Just like a cup of light boiled water, you will not pay attention to its taste, but it quietly nourishes your life. No one tells you that there is anything special about such ordinary days, but in fact, every tiny moment is affecting your life trajectory. They are like those forgotten fragments of memory. Occasionally you will think of them with a trace of nostalgia, but they always quietly shuttle through the gaps in life and continue to shape you and me.
Sometimes, I will stand in front of the window and look at the outside world. Those busy and bustling crowds, looking from a distance, everything seems so hurried and indifferent. Living in such a fast-paced city often makes people feel at a loss. Every day we are busy chasing the so-called goals, looking for the so-called meaning, and even spending countless time and energy for a decision that seems to change the future. But sometimes, I would also think about that afternoon when I sat in a teahouse in the alley with my friends, chatting, drinking tea, and talking about the past. Those simplest times seemed to be the purest part of life.
Past memories: warmth and confusion in details
When you look back at the past years, you will find that most memories are not those great events, but some sporadic details. Do you still remember how you played football in the yard of your hometown when you were a child? That sunny afternoon, the sun slanted in the yard, and the air was filled with the smell of soil. And your running figure is like every cat in the alley, every little laugh. The world at that time couldn’t be simpler, the future seemed far away, and the only thing you cared about was every slab in front of you and every thumping heartbeat.
Time has passed, we have changed, and the people around us have changed. Those days and nights we once spent together are gradually covered by daily trivialities. You will find that what really makes people remember are often those seemingly insignificant little things. The cup of tea you like still tastes the same as the one you drink every day; you still live in that alley, and the window you always forget to close lets in the familiar street sounds. That feeling is like a part of life quietly embraced by you, and unknowingly, it has taken root and grown in your life.
But because of this, life also brings heavy confusion. You begin to ask yourself, is it all worth it? The doubts that have accumulated over a long period of time will grow quietly, buried in your heart, and eventually become the undercurrent you don’t want to face. Whenever you fall into this problem, you will always realize that the so-called “change” is actually just to cope with endless emptiness. The goal you are chasing may not make sense at all, but just want to leave some traces in the torrent of time.
No one will tell you: life is complicated
Have you seen the small vendor who walks by the corner every day? His stall is not high, and there is no special decoration, only a few simple stall cloths and a few ordinary items. But he is still there, receiving passers-by every day. His movements are skillful, and his eyes reveal a thoughtful depth. You never talked to him much, but occasionally walked past his stall, watching him wipe the bronze bowl vigorously, pick up the ingredients he just bought, and do his own things skillfully.
Life is actually very complicated, but also very simple. We always live in the gap between the two. On the one hand, we are busy pursuing distant goals, and on the other hand, we are constantly looking back at those lost days. Those times when we once lived easily have become the “past” that we cannot touch today. In the past, you seemed to be able to spend every afternoon at will, eating a roast duck, shopping in a mall, or just sitting down with friends, drinking a glass of wine, and chatting. You sat in the dim light, talking about the future, but you didn’t realize that the footsteps of the future were approaching quietly.
Looking back, the details of those years are the most memorable. You sat on the bus, sitting by the window, the scene outside the window became blurred in your eyes, and you seemed to be in another time and space, and your thoughts drifted away. At that time, life was not so complicated, and you were not troubled by so many things. You feel lonely occasionally, but that kind of loneliness is a kind of pure freedom, as if nothing can restrain you, only the wind and sunshine accompany you. Just like the street you walked on that day, no one will know your inner turmoil and confusion at the moment, but you still choose to face it with a calm attitude.
Continuous confusion: Will people find the answer in this life?
Until now, I still can’t give a clear answer. We are always seeking meaning and feeling confused at every moment. Have you asked yourself, when can you find the “real self”? Have you asked yourself, when can you find a clear direction in this confusion? Life is like a performance without a clear ending, in which each of us plays our own role. We keep moving forward and questioning, but those confusions seem to have no end.
Perhaps, people are like that street vendor, and can only continue to be busy in their own small world until one day, when they stop and look back, they find that the most important things are those seemingly insignificant things. Those friends who have accompanied you, those occasional moments of stopping, and those moments of slowly understanding your own mentality are the real answers. The answer to the question does not need to be too complicated; it is in our daily life, but we are often busy pursuing farther dreams, so we ignore the warmth and wisdom hidden in the details.
Life is like this: there is still a warm glow in the complexity
Everyone has some confusion and loss in their lives. And these just constitute a part of life. We always lose ourselves in the busyness of day after day, until a certain inadvertent moment, suddenly stop and find that everything in the past is deeply imprinted in our hearts. And these marks may not need to be understood or answered. They are life itself, simple, but profound. Every day is a small struggle and an inadvertent warmth.
Maybe one day, we will wake up from this long time, but even if not, it doesn’t matter, because we have already learned to find our own meaning in these details.