During World War II, an American platoon was engaged in a fierce fight with the enemy. During this encounter in the forest in France, two soldiers lost contact with their unit. Hailing from the same small town, these two men were inseparable and fully trusted each other. They continued to look out for each other amid the confrontation.
They trudged through the forest, encouraging one another. Over 10 days passed without them reestablishing contact with their unit. Fortunately, they had managed to kill a deer during their ordeal, and the venison provided enough sustenance to last them a few more days. Due to the ravages of war, the forest’s wildlife had either fled or been hunted to extinction. Aside from that deer, they saw no other animals. The last remaining venison was carried by the younger soldier.
Once again, they encountered the enemy in the forest, and after another fierce battle, both skillfully evaded their pursuers. Just as they thought they were safe, a gunshot rang out. The younger soldier walking ahead was hit, but luckily only wounded in the shoulder. His comrade, running to him in panic, was so terrified he could barely speak, clutching the wounded soldier and weeping uncontrollably.
That night, the uninjured soldier kept murmuring his mother’s name, his eyes staring blankly. Both believed their lives were ending, so neither touched the venison beside them. No one knows the emotional turmoil they would have endured that night. Fortunately, their platoon found them the next day.
Thirty years later, the wounded soldier finally revealed the truth of how he was injured. He said, “I knew who fired that shot—it was my comrade, who passed away last year. I knew because when he held me, I accidentally touched the hot barrel of his gun. But in that moment, I forgave him. I understood he wanted to survive by keeping the venison for himself. I also knew he fought to live for his mother.”
“For the next 30 years, I pretended I never knew about it and never mentioned it. The cruel war dragged on too long, and his mother passed away before he could return home. After the war ended, we went to pay our respects at her grave. My friend knelt before her portrait and begged for my forgiveness. I stopped him from saying more. We remained solid friends, because I had no reason not to forgive him.”
A person who can tolerate others’ stubbornness, self-righteousness, arrogance, and ignorant conceit possesses immense magnanimity. If one cannot endure malicious slander and keeps dwelling on it, it will ultimately inflict fatal harm upon oneself. Repaying evil with kindness sounds simple, but rather than a return to benevolence, friendship, and harmony, it has a far greater intrinsic value: freeing oneself. Where does the elusive, harmonious life that many envy come from? It stems from one’s ability to “endure humiliation.”
Who do we trust?
In most relationships, suffering often comes from those closest to us, whom we trust the most. The greatest problem lies in victims’ inability to let go of the incident, even long after it has occurred, repeatedly tormenting themselves with it, and ultimately wounding themselves. Thus, when consciousness fixates on pain and resentment, it naturally fails to look forward and lacks the strength to escape the mire. In the end, it’s as if one person’s single mistake condemns you to a lifetime of self-punishment!
So with life spanning only a few decades, how should we truly live? Some people, upon encountering adversity, lock themselves in a “prison,” spending their days with furrowed brows, consumed by bitterness and resentment, feeling life is worse than death, and having no trust in anything or anyone. Yet they fail to realize that every person, event, and thing in life serves one purpose: to remind you to become wiser, more compassionate, more creative, and forgiving.
When we can let go of others’ mistakes, we naturally liberate our own hearts. Like the soldier in the story, when he forgave the other man, he released his hatred along with it! It seemed he had forgiven the other person, but in truth, he had freed himself. Thus, what truly harms you is rarely the event itself, but your perception and constant judgment of it. Rather than harboring resentment and suffering a lifetime of misery, release it immediately! Only then will you discover how beautiful life can truly be.
What is trust? A firm belief in the integrity, ability, or character of a person, even when they make mistakes. Trust is when you shoot me with a gun, and I still believe it was merely an accidental discharge.
Translated by Audrey Wang and edited by Maria
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