The last thing I wanted to hear when my government-sponsored scholarship was withdrawn during. my final year of college was: "Things are working out for your own good. Just give them some time." Those words just stirred a lot of anger in me.
Then I read the story of the Chinese bamboo farmer, which gave me a different view on life. The seed of the Chinese bamboo is planted in the ground like every seed. It is watered and fed with nutrients daily, but it shows no immediate physical response and doesn't appear to grow. The farmer continues to water and feed the seed in year one, year two, and year three. No growth is seen until the fourth year, when the seed finally breaks through the ground. Then, in the space of just five weeks, it grows ninety feet tall. The Chinese bamboo grows to its full capacity within 5 years.
Despite not seeing an immediate result, the farmer had trust in what he was doing. He continued to water and feed the plant for four years, because he believed that if he played his own role and did all that a farmer was supposed to do, then he would be given his reward at the right time. That trust and patience is what kept the farmer persistently feeding his seed for four years before enjoying the reward in the end.
Life is not always straightforward. Most often, it's not a matter of 5+5=10(Sum 1).
Life can be more like2+1+2+0+0+0+1+2+0+0+1+1=10(Sum2).
Both sums lead to the same result, but through quite different paths and processes. To be mature is to accept that things might look rough right now but the story can still have a great ending.
We might live in a microwave generation where everything seems to happen instantly; but many things still obey the laws of nature. Just doing what you are supposed to be doing, having patience like the Chinese bamboo farmer, and trusting that things will work out for you can help you get through the toughest times.