By Augustin
Many of us may have lived through a phase governed by the stubborn mindset of “Nothing can ever change me”. However, when we inevitably face the storms of time and circumstance, that rigid stubbornness only leaves behind painful wounds.
The following two short stories explore this truth, tracing the journeys of a “rough stone” in nature and a young man named “Thit Lwin” in the human world. Together, their paths offer deep insights into how a fierce, hot-headed life – through friction with hardship – can transform into a mature, calm, and beautifully smooth existence that lives in harmony with the world.
The Stone in the Current
At the source of a mountain stream, there once lay a rough, sharp stone with jagged edges. It took great pride in being harder than all the other stones, possessing an ego that refused to yield to anything.
One day, a heavy rainstorm hit, and the mountain waters rushed down fiercely. The powerful current uprooted the large stone and swept it away into the deep.
“Nothing will ever change me!” the stone shouted, stubbornly resisting the force of the water.
However, the current showed no mercy. Swept along by the relentless flow of time and water, the stone scraped against the sandy bottom and crashed violently into massive boulders. Carried away by the sheer speed of the river, it found itself caught in a cycle of severe and endless friction.
Every time a sharp edge broke off its body, the stone felt deep pain. There were moments of pure despair when it found itself trapped, spinning helplessly in violent whirlpools. Yet, it endured – silently anchoring its awareness to avoid sinking into the dark oblivion of the riverbed, surviving the long journey downstream.
Many years passed. The fierce, crashing mountain stream eventually opened up, transforming into a wide, tranquil river.
Resting calmly on the sunny, sandy bank lay a beautifully smooth, rounded pebble. This gentle pebble was none other than the once-rough stone with the jagged edges.
The sharp points of anger and pride it once carried were entirely gone, washed away by the current. By enduring the hardships of its journey with quiet maturity – and protecting its core essence amidst endless friction – it had transformed. It was now at peace, perfectly shaped to live in harmony with the world around it.
Life’s Torrents Smooth Rigid Pride
Since his youth, Thit Lwin was a brilliant but highly stubborn and proud young man. Living by the absolute mindset of “I must get what I want, and I will never yield to anyone”, he operated with rigid defiance. He lived like a rough stone full of jagged edges, rarely considering others’ feelings and firmly believing that only his perspective was correct.
However, the powerful current of life does not allow anyone to remain still. As he stepped into adulthood, he faced a continuous onslaught of life’s storms: the sudden collapse of his family’s business, unexpected setbacks in his career, and painful separations from those he loved. Swept away by the fierce torrent of time and circumstance, he found himself tumbling through countless painful experiences.
When hit hard by these challenges, Thit Lwin initially felt only deep bitterness and pain. But as the losses mounted, he reached a turning point. He realized a harsh truth: it was his own sharp edges causing the constant, destructive friction in his interactions with the world.
From that moment on, instead of forcefully fighting the current, he chose to let go of his stubborn pride. He began navigating his trials mindfully, learning to adapt without letting his inner self break apart.
After enduring the friction of life’s ups and downs for many years, Thit Lwin eventually reached middle age.
By this stage in his life, his mindset was no longer driven by the sharp edges of anger and pride; instead, he had become deeply peaceful and calm. He had learned to understand and accept the inevitable changes of the world, choosing to treat others with empathy, forgiveness, and gentleness.
Just like the jagged stone worn smooth by the relentless current of time, Thit Lwin now flows gracefully with the river of life – living as a mature, stable, and beautiful human being with a generous heart.
Lessons Learned
Carrying the sharp edges of pride, anger, and stubbornness ensures we will suffer deeper pain during life’s unavoidable storms. Just as a jagged rock chips away when colliding with the world, a rigid ego causes destructive friction, wounding both ourselves and those around us in our relationships.
True resilience requires yielding to change rather than forcefully resisting it. Like water, adapting our mindset allows us to navigate hardships safely. The painful friction of failures and wounds does not come to destroy us; these trials are simply natural tools, grinding away our rough traits to reveal a mature, beautiful stability.
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