Health is the "base coat" of life. Without it, life loses the very premise of "aesthetics." A person tormented by pain can hardly appreciate the fractured beauty of the Dunhuang murals, nor can they feel the grandeur of the heavens and the earth. Only with health can you wander between the sky and the soil, to read, to think, and to converse with ancient civilizations. If this base coat peels away, no matter how much gold dust you smear on top, all that remains is a view of ruin and desolation.
Money is the "color" of life. It adds elasticity to existence and buys you time. It ensures you needn't snap the spine of your convictions for a few bags of grain. It transforms into the lamp in a study or the ticket for a distant journey.
For me, I would rather live in dignified poverty within a healthy body, or practice humble wellness amidst material abundance. If forced to choose, I would stand with health without a moment’s hesitation. A healthy life is, in itself, the most expensive asset—it holds the potential to manifest every possible miracle.
A healthy man, though penniless, remains the master of the world as long as the road lies beneath his feet. A bedridden tycoon, though sitting on a mountain of gold, is nothing more than a prisoner of his own vault.
The most exquisite scenery in life is the calm and composure of the heart. And this composure springs from a soul that is painless, carefree, and breathes freely. To be able to eat a meal in peace, to walk a stretch of road, and to enjoy a good night’s sleep—this is, in its truest sense, a form of wealth.
It is just that such days are too often taken for granted.
