Those Who Have Long-Term Concerns Will Have Immediate Troubles

Xuefeng

The ancients taught us, “A person without long-term concerns will have immediate worries.” This statement is only half correct; it embodies the halfway wisdom of those in the middle of the journey or the common wisdom suited for ordinary people, which I do not dispute.

However, for practitioners of self-improvement and cultivation, this kind of wisdom is extremely harmful and is the root of life's troubles. Such limited wisdom misleads people into an unrealistic future, making them anxious and restless, chasing desires, distressed by illusions, and ignoring the joy and happiness of the present moment. It buries life's happiness under the fear of an unpredictable future, unnecessarily adding troubles and misfortune to oneself.

When a child is just born, foolish parents begin planning for the child’s future, worrying about their child's food, clothing, housing, schooling, marriage, and success in life. When the child just starts school, parents start fretting about their child's grades and whether they will get into a top high school or a prestigious university. When starting a job, people begin to scrimp and save, being harsh on themselves to accumulate money for houses, cars, spouses, and parents. Even when they are healthy, they save money in case of future illness; when their marriage is fine, they fret about third-party interference or whether their partner might become unfaithful. Even when life is going well, they worry about their old age and where they will be buried after death. Before even stepping out the door, they worry about potential accidents, illnesses, or trouble along the way. The joy of starting university barely fades before worrying about finding a satisfying job after graduation. Upon entering Lifechanyuan, they begin to worry about whether they will be deceived, suppressed by the government, or led astray, weighing the pros and cons incessantly.

Most people do not live in the present reality; they live in the hazy, ethereal future. But where is the future? The top floor of a building relies on the support of all the lower floors. Without the lower floors, there is no top floor. The future of life is constructed by each present moment. Without today, there is no future. More importantly, the future of a happy person is happiness; the future of an anxious person is anxiety. You reap what you sow; the flower that blossoms depends on the seed you plant, and the sound of passing gas depends on the food you consume. A person's future is built upon their current state of mind: if one constantly worries, their future will be filled with worry; if one is constantly troubled, their future will be filled with trouble. If a person suffers throughout their life, their future will inevitably be filled with suffering. “You reap what you sow,” and “You grow melons from melon seeds and beans from bean seeds.” If you have long-term concerns, you will inevitably have immediate troubles—without exception.

Long-term concerns are not a good thing; they cause more harm than good. Long-term concerns are a sign of a diseased mind and a mark of ignorance. Let me illustrate with a few examples.

In Zimbabwe, there was a man who, when the exchange rate was 6.3 Zimbabwean dollars to 1 U.S. dollar, lived frugally, denying himself the clothes and comforts he should have enjoyed. He was harsh on himself and his family, saving up money to prepare for imagined future difficulties. He managed to save 10,000 Zimbabwean dollars, which at the time was worth over 1,500 U.S. dollars. He kept saving, but as the Zimbabwean dollar plummeted, today, his savings, including interest, amount to just 0.20 U.S. dollars. Isn't that heartbreaking?

A construction company from Gansu Province has a branch in Zimbabwe. About four years ago, the company had two project managers in their forties working there. During their time in Zimbabwe, they lived frugally and never spent a penny unnecessarily. They saved money primarily for two reasons: to buy a house and to cover their children's college tuition. Just a week before returning to China, the two were driving over 200 kilometers from Harare to a site to handle one last matter. On the way back, they had a car accident, and both died on the spot. Isn’t that tragic?

I know someone who is quite talented, and I encouraged him to quit his job and try working abroad. At first, he was eager and enthusiastic, but two years have passed, and he’s still in the same place. When I asked what happened, he said there were many practical concerns he couldn't ignore: What if I get sick? What if I fail? What if I lose my home? What if immigration sends me back? And what if, while I'm away, my child gets into trouble during this crucial growth period? I followed up, saying, "Right, and what if a third party intervenes and your wife runs off with someone else?"

…

Life is a journey, an experience, and there’s no real failure in life. Those who worry about distant troubles create their own suffering in their minds, worrying about things that do not exist. Even the wisest people cannot fully see the future; many of the difficulties and misfortunes you imagine at home simply do not exist. Out of ten tools you prepare for the future, nine may never be used. There is no need to spend time, energy, or resources preparing for the future. One should live in the present, fully utilizing all the conditions of the moment to do what is needed now.

Some may say, “Your Lifechanyuan worries about things after death; isn’t that a distant worry?” Yes, but I believe there is a difference in nature. The distant worries of ordinary people bring anxiety, while Lifechanyuan's distant worries bring beautiful aspirations. Lifechanyuan members live in boundless happiness, and every time they gaze towards the Celestial Islands Continent in the distance, a sense of beauty arises naturally. We remain grounded, not missing out on the joy and pleasure of reality.

Whenever there is a reason to be happy, I absolutely do not miss the chance. My loved one often "teaches" me to be modest, cautious, and not to get carried away. I say, life rarely brings joy; whenever there’s a chance, I choose to be happy first. As for the consequences, I will deal with them when they come.

When I first started down the path of capitalism and began working independently, I rented a beautiful villa. A friend worriedly said, “You’re just a family of three; you don’t need such a spacious house. You should live in something simpler to save money for any potential misfortunes.” I replied, “If I can live in a nice house today, I’ll enjoy it now. If I can’t tomorrow, then I’ll move.” As it turned out, from the start until now, the houses I’ve lived in have only become more spacious and comfortable. I refuse to worry about the future.

Some Lifechanyuan members express love for me. That’s wonderful, and I gladly accept it. My approach is to love first and sort out the rest later. Whether my spouse will divorce me, whether a Lifechanyuan member’s husband will file for divorce, or whether this will affect the future romantic prospects of unmarried members is not my concern. If we can be happy, let’s be happy now and deal with the future when it comes.

What I want to express is this: We should look forward to the future without letting it burden us with worries. Live in the present, not in a distant, imagined future. An anxious future leads to more anxiety; a joyful future leads to more joy. If we live now as celestial beings of the Thousand-year World, then our future life is already in the Thousand-year World. Only joy can create more joy; worry never creates joy.

If we spend our entire lives consumed by worries about the future, our troubles will never cease. This is what is meant by "Those who have long-term concerns will have immediate troubles."