Therewasarichmerchantwhohad4wives.Helovedthe4thwifethemostandadornedherwithrichrobesandtreatedhertodelicacies.Hetookgreatcareofherandgavehernothingbutthebest.
Healsolovedthe3rdwifeverymuch.He』sveryproudofherandalwayswantedtoshowoffhertohisfriends.However,themerchantisalwaysingreatfearthatshemightrunawaywithsomeothermen.
Hetoo,lovedhis2ndwife.Sheisaveryconsiderateperson,alwayspatientandinfactisthemerchant』sconfidante.Wheneverthemerchantfacedsomeproblems,healwaysturnedtohis2ndwifeandshewouldalwayshelphimoutandtidehimthroughdifficulttimes.
Now,themerchant』s1stwifeisaveryloyalpartnerandhasmadegreatcontributionsinmaintaininghiswealthandbusinessaswellastakingcareofthehousehold.However,themerchantdidnotlovethefirstwifeandalthoughshelovedhimdeeply,hehardlytooknoticeofher.
Oneday,themerchantfellill.Beforelong,heknewthathewasgoingtodiesoon.Hethoughtofhisluxuriouslifeandtoldhimself,「NowIhave4wiveswithme.ButwhenIdie,I』llbealone.HowlonelyI』llbe！」
Thus,heaskedthe4thwife,「Ilovedyoumost,andowedyouwiththefinestclothingandshoweredgreatcareoveryou.NowthatI』mdying,willyoufollowmeandkeepmecompany?」
「Noway！」repliedthe4thwifeandshewalkedawaywithoutanotherword.
Theanswercutlikeasharpkniferightintothemerchant』sheart.Thesadmerchantthenaskedthe3rdwife,「Ihavelovedyousomuchforallmylife.NowthatI』mdying,willyoufollowmeandkeepmecompany?」
「No！」repliedthe3rdwife.「Lifeissogoodoverhere！I』mgoingtoremarrywhenyoudie！」Themerchant』sheartsankandturnedcold.
Hethenaskedthe2ndwife,「Ialwaysturnedtoyouforhelpandyou』vealwayshelpedmeout.NowIneedyourhelpagain.WhenIdie,willyoufollowmeandkeepmecompany?」
「I』msorry,Ican』thelpyououtthistime！」repliedthe2ndwife.「Attheverymost,Icanonlysendyoutoyourgrave.」Theanswercamelikeaboltofthunderandthemerchantwasdevastated.
Thenavoicecalledout:「I』llleavewithyou.I』llfollowyounomatterwhereyougo.」Themerchantlookedupandtherewashisfirstwife.Shewassoskinny,almostlikeshesufferedfrommalnutrition.Greatlygrieved,themerchantsaid,「IshouldhavetakenmuchbettercareofyouwhileIcouldhave！」
Actually,weallhave4wivesinourlives
The4thwifeisourbody.Nomatterhowmuchtimeandeffortwelavishinmakingitlookgood,it』llleaveuswhenwedie.
Our3rdwifeisourpossessions,statusandwealth.Whenwedie,theyallgotoothers.
The2ndwifeisourfamilyandfriends.Nomatterhowclosetheyhadbeenthereforuswhenwe』realive,thefurthesttheycanstaybyusisuptothegrave.
The1stwifeisinfactoursoul,oftenneglectedinourpursuitofmaterial,wealthandsensualpleasure.
Guesswhat?Itisactuallytheonlythingthatfollowsuswhereverwego.Perhapsit』sagoodideatocultivateandstrengthenitnowratherthantowaituntilwe』reonourdeathbedtolament.
從前，一位富有的商人娶了四個老婆。他最愛他的小老婆，給她華麗的衣裳和美味佳餚。他對她體貼入微，把最好的東西都給了她。
商人也很愛第三位老婆。他為她感到驕傲，並常把她作為在朋友面前炫耀的資本。但他同時也憂心忡忡，怕她與其他男人跑了。
當然，商人也愛二老婆，她既善解人意又耐心。事實上，她是商人的紅顏知己。每每遇到困難，他就會找她，而她也總能幫助他走出困境，渡過難關。
至於大老婆，她是一位忠誠的伴侶，替他照料生意、打理家務，忙裡忙外，可謂勞苦功高。然而，儘管她愛得這麼深，商人卻偏不鍾情於她，甚至沒把她放在心上。
一日，商人得了重病，他自知將不久於人世。當他回顧自己奢華的一生，不禁心中悵然：「現在我雖然有四個老婆相伴，但死後卻要孤零零一人。多寂寞啊！」
於是，他問小老婆：「我最疼你，給你買最漂亮的衣服，還對你呵護備至。現在我就要離開這個世界了，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」
「絕不可能！」她丟下一句話，逕自走開了。
小老婆的回答如一把尖刀插在商人心上。傷心的商人繼而問第三個老婆：「我一直對你寵愛有加。如今，我將不久於人世，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」
「不！」她拒絕道，「人間的生活多麼美好啊！你死後我會改嫁他人！」商人的心倏地下沉，漸漸變冷。
他再轉向二老婆，問道：「我過去常常求助於你，你也總能為我排憂解難。現在我想再請你幫一次忙。我死後，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」
「很抱歉，這一次我幫不了你，」她說，「我最多只能讓你入土為安。」這句話猶如晴天霹靂，商人徹底絕望了。
這時，旁邊傳來一個聲音：「我願意隨你一同離去。無論你到哪裡，我都會跟著你。」商人抬起頭，看到了自己的大老婆。她是那麼消瘦，一副營養不良的樣子。商人悲痛萬分，他說：「我過去就應該好好地珍惜你啊！」
其實，我們每個人的一生都有四位愛人相伴。
小老婆代表我們的軀體。無論我們花費多少的時間和精力想去裝扮她，我們死後它終會棄我們而去。
第三位老婆代表財產、地位與金錢。一旦我們撒手西去，它終究會轉向他人。
二老婆則代表了我們的家人與朋友。我們活著的時候，無論他們與我們多麼親近，他們最多也只能到墓前送我們最後一程。
至於大老婆，她則是我們的靈魂。當我們沉迷於追求物質、金錢或感官享受的時候，她常常會被遺忘在一旁。
結果呢？她才是唯一與我們永遠相伴的。也許從現在開始，我們就應該悉心照顧好她，而不是等到臨終之際才悔恨不已。
WriteYourOwnLife譜寫生命的樂章
Supposesomeonegaveyouapen–asealed,solid-coloredpen.
Youcouldn'tseehowmuchinkithad.Itmightrundryafterthefirstfewtentativewordsorlastjustlongenoughtocreateamasterpiece(orseveral)thatwouldlastforeverandmakeadifferenceintheschemeofthings.Youdon』tknowbeforeyoubegin.
Undertherulesofthegame,youreallyneverknow.Youhavetotakeachance！
Actually,noruleofthegamestatesyoumustdoanything.Insteadofpickingupandusingthepen,youcouldleaveitonashelforinadrawerwhereitwilldryup,unused.
Butifyoudodecidetouseit,whatwouldyoudowithit?Howwouldyouplaythegame?
Wouldyouplanandplanbeforeyoueverwroteaword?Wouldyourplansbesoextensivethatyouneverevengottothewriting?
Orwouldyoutakethepeninhand,plungerightinandjustdoit,strugglingtokeepupwiththetwistsandturnsofthetorrentsofwordsthattakeyouwheretheytakeyou?
Wouldyouwritecautiouslyandcarefully,asifthepenmightrundrythenextmoment,orwouldyoupretendorbelieve(orpretendtobelieve)thatthepenwillwriteforeverandproceedaccordingly?
Andofwhatwouldyouwrite:OfloveHateFunMiseryLifeDeathNothingEverything
WouldyouwritetopleasejustyourselfOrothersOryourselfbywritingforothers?