A kind word can warm you in the coldest winter, while harsh words can chill you in the heat of June. How powerful can a single sentence be? When someone is at a crossroads, a word of care, concern, and encouragement might change their life, as happened with author Lin Qingxuan. A single sentence can be the sunshine that warms someone for a lifetime.
When Taiwanese writer Lin Qingxuan was in his second year of high school, his academic performance and conduct were among the worst. He received two significant demerits and two minor ones, which led to him being put on probation and even expelled from the school dormitory.
Many teachers had given up hope on him, but his Chinese teacher, Wang Yucang, did not. Wang often invited him to his home for meals and even allowed him to teach Chinese classes when he had to take leave. Wang told him: “I’ve been teaching for 50 years, and I can tell at a glance that you are a student with great potential.”
These words moved and shocked Lin Qingxuan. Determined not to let his teacher’s efforts go to waste, he worked hard and resolved to become someone beneficial to society. He began writing at 17 and published his first book, The Blooming and Falling of the Lotus, at 20. Lin Qingxuan graduated from the World Journalism College in Taiwan (now Shih Hsin University). He worked as an editor for the overseas edition of China Times, a social reporter, an economic reporter for the Industrial and Commercial Times, and an editor-in-chief for Times Magazine.
Lin Qingxuan became a prolific writer, winning many awards
Throughout his life, Lin Qingxuan published over 270 books, mainly on essays and reportage literature. His works covered a wide range of topics and were written in a style that was both accessible and deeply philosophical. In his later years, he wrote about Buddhist perspectives, encouraging people to practice virtue and kindness, especially in his well-known “Bodhi” series. He became a “spiritual mentor” to many and was hailed as one of the “Eight Great Essayists of Contemporary Times.”
Lin Qingxuan is also one of the most awarded writers in Taiwan’s literary scene. He has received the Times Literature Award, the Wu Sanlian Literary Award, the National Arts Award, the Zhongshan Literary Award, and the Central Daily News Literature Award, among others. In 1988, the publishing industry even named him Person of the Year.
Interestingly, while working as a journalist, Lin Qingxuan once wrote an article about a thief’s meticulous planning and execution of a crime. At the end of the article, he couldn’t help but express his admiration: “With such meticulous thinking, skillful methods, and unique style, this thief could succeed in any profession!”
Little did he know this offhand comment would change a young man’s life. Twenty years later, the former thief had turned his life around and become a well-known entrepreneur. In a chance encounter with Lin Qingxuan, the businessman sincerely told him: “Mr. Lin, your article illuminated the blind spots in my life. It made me realize I could do something legitimate besides being a thief!”
How powerful can a single sentence be? When someone is at a crossroads, surrounded by harsh words, a word of care, protection, and encouragement can be like a burning flame, warming the heart and igniting the fires of confidence and self-respect, leading to rebirth, hard work, and positive progress. When someone is in dire straits, lost, and unable to find direction, a word of guidance, comfort, and appreciation can be like a guiding light, showing them the way forward in the darkness, helping them break through the gloom and fog, and emerge from their predicament.
A single sentence may be simple, but if it is sincere and kind, it can right the tilt of someone’s heart, correct the course of their life, and change what seemed to be a predetermined path. Lin Qingxuan’s experience teaches us that a single sentence can be the sunshine that warms someone forever, providing warmth and brightness throughout their life.
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