An Old Man

An old man said to me:
Taking fame and fortune too seriously will inevitably make one feel weary.

This is not hard to understand.
By the time one reaches his age, looking back, many obsessions naturally loosen.
It is a composure gained through experience—
not a disregard for fame, but no longer being controlled by it.

I can understand this state.
But I am also aware of my own stage in life.

Before I have truly stood firm,
talking about “letting go” often feels more like self-comfort.
Reality has not yet settled, and my position is still unclear,
leaving too early would bring instability at best, and chaos at worst.

The composure of those who came before comes as a gift of time;
but at this moment, I still need to face reality head-on,
and find my own place in society.

True letting go,
should not happen before one is able to stand firm,
but only at the moment when one truly has a choice.

I finished saying this.
The old man remained silent.

In that silence,
there was neither denial nor advice,
it was as if in acknowledgment, yet also waiting.