The Man Who Tried to Count the Waves
Once upon a time, in a charming coastal town by the endless blue seas, lived a curious man. This man loved counting everything around him and learning the order of every object. One morning, while walking along the golden sand beach, he looked at the enthusiastic sea waves for a long time. He promised himself that he would learn the exact number of foamy waves. Sitting on the warm sand, he began to wait attentively without taking his eyes off the sea level.
"One, two, three..." began the man with great eagerness, counting the incoming waves. But when a new wave coming from behind wiped away the previous one, the man got confused. Sometimes a wave split into two, and sometimes three small waves turned into one big wave. Just as he reached the hundredth wave, he forgot the number again because of the foam hitting the shore quickly. "I have to go back to the beginning again!" shouted the man in great anger.
Meanwhile, an old fisherman walking calmly on the beach approached the man. The white-bearded fisherman asked, "Son, why do you fix your eyes on the sea without looking away?" The man said angrily, "I am trying to count how many waves the sea has, but I get confused every time." The old fisherman smiled gently, took out a dried seashell from his pocket, and handed it to the man. "As long as the wind blows and the earth turns, the waves of this sea will never end," said the wise fisherman. The man took a deep sigh, looking at the foaming waters and the old fisherman's calm face for a while.
He finally realized that an endless effort would only tire a person out and make them restless. He decided to stop counting and enjoy the cool wind and the sound of waves coming from the sea. Instead of wasting their lives on endless tasks beyond their strength, people should live in the peace of the moment. Do not cry over spilt milk.