A big ship’s engine (引擎) didn’t work and no one could repair it. The ship’s owner turned to an old man—an engineer who had 40 years of experience. He checked the engine very carefully. Then he took a small hammer (锤子) from his tool bag and gently knocked on the engine. Soon, the engine started to work again.

The engineer told the ship owner that the total cost was $10,000.

“What?!” the owner said. “You did almost nothing. Tell me why it costs so much.”

“The answer is simple. Knock with a hammer: $2. Know where to knock and how to knock: $9,998,” the engineer answered, “If I can finish a job in 30 minutes, it’s because I spent 10 years, not the 30 minutes.”

Hard practice for a long time can bring a success. Something that looks simple to you or me might actually take years of hard work. Actors, musicians and sports stars make their work look easy, but that’s because they have been doing it for so long that it’s easy for them. That’s the price of knowledge.

Many people have great difficulty in saying goodbye. But from goodbye moments, we can always learn something. Once, I overheard (无意中听到) a father and daughter in their goodbye moment. The father said, “I love you, I wish you enough.” The daughter answered, “Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all that I need. I wish you enough, too, Daddy.”

They kissed and she left…

The father walked over towards me. I could see he wanted and needed a cry. He came over to me and asked, “Did you ever say a forever goodbye to someone?” Before I could answer, he went on, “I am old and she lives much too far away. I know her next trip back would be for my funeral (葬礼).” “When you were saying goodbye I heard you say ‘I wish you enough.’ May I ask what that means?” He began to smile, “It’s a wish that has come down from my great-great-grandparents. And my parents used to say it to me.”

He stopped for a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it. He smiled even more. “When we said ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life full of enough good things.”

Then, turning towards me, he shared the following “wish” from his heart.

I wish you enough sun to keep you bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep you alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.

My friends, I wish you enough.