In the journey of life, we inevitably face various pressures and burdens. Sometimes, these pressures come from external expectations, and sometimes they stem from our own demands. How to find balance in bearing these burdens, and how to maintain peace of mind while moving forward under weight, is a question each of us must confront and resolve. Tagore once expressed his thoughts on bearing with poetic language: “Why did the flower wither? My passionate love pressed it tightly against my heart, and thus the flower withered. Why did the string break? I played a note it could not bear, and thus the string broke.” Milan Kundera, in his philosophical reflections, pointed out: “All heavy pressures and burdens can be borne by people; they allow one to live openly and fully.” These two seemingly contradictory statements actually reveal two different perspectives on “bearing”: one emphasizes the dangers of excessive bearing, while the other values the growth power found in bearing. They prompt us to reflect on what kind of bearing is just right. How can we find ourselves and the meaning of life in the process of bearing?

Firstly, Tagore's metaphor makes us realize that excessive bearing may destroy the beautiful things in life. He uses delicate images like “the flower withered” and “the string broke” to remind us that emotions, pressures, and responsibilities can nourish our lives within certain limits, but if excessive, these beautiful things may instead shatter due to the overwhelming pressure we impose. In life, whether it is love, work, or other responsibilities, there needs to be a moderate “degree.” Just like playing a string, if we always pursue reaching a certain limit, the string will eventually break due to excessive tension. This principle also applies to our daily life stress management.

We often hear people complain about the great work pressure and the complexities of daily life. Many people continuously squeeze themselves in a fast-paced life, trying to achieve perfection within limited time. Whether it is the pursuit of performance at work or the desire for a perfect family and a healthy body in life, the pressures of modern society are everywhere. This “pressure pressed on the heart” makes many feel exhausted, even gradually losing their passion and love for life. As Tagore depicted, these excessive pressures may ultimately cause our “flowers” to wither and our life strings to break.

However, there is another kind of bearing in life—a bearing that makes one open and fulfilled. Milan Kundera believes that it is precisely because we face and bear the heavy burdens of life that our lives become more real and rich. He emphasizes that pressure is not entirely negative; it is an inevitable part of life and a source of our growth. Just as a tree can only thrive in the wind and rain, a person also needs to hone themselves under pressure to become more resilient and mature. Whether it is career success or spiritual elevation, it is achieved through repeated challenges and bearing.

We can clearly see this in the training of athletes. The training of athletes is essentially a process of constantly bearing physical and psychological limits. Through daily high-intensity training, they gradually break through their limits and become stronger. Without bearing, there is no breakthrough; without pressure, there is no progress. Athletes clearly know that only through bearing the training can they achieve glory and victory in competitions. Similarly, many people in life grow into better versions of themselves through repeated pressures. Whether in the workplace or in personal life, many have gained critical growth and success when facing heavy pressures.

But the problem is that bearing does not mean unconditionally accepting all pressures. Although Kundera praises the growth found in bearing, this does not mean we should bear all burdens without reservation, even those that exceed our capacity. In fact, the wisdom of bearing lies in knowing when to continue bearing and when to appropriately let go. The concept of “psychological resilience” in modern psychology describes how people can flexibly adjust their coping strategies when facing pressure to avoid the physical and mental harm caused by excessive bearing. Appropriate bearing can promote growth, but excessive bearing can lead us to lose ourselves and even fall into the brink of collapse.

For this reason, we need to learn to balance in life. Many people feel exhausted and heavily pressured in the fast-paced modern life. At this time, some mindset adjustment methods such as meditation, exercise, and time management can effectively help people relieve stress and regain inner peace. Especially in today’s information age, our attention is constantly pulled by countless tasks, messages, and responsibilities, making it particularly important to find our own rhythm in busy daily life. The key to balance lies in learning to discern what we can bear and what we do not need or should not bear.

Correspondingly, there is also the concept of “self-care” in life. Self-care means understanding when to give ourselves breathing space during the process of bearing, and knowing how to restore our energy and mood through rest and entertainment. Many times, we often feel we can bear more, while ignoring the signals from our mind and body, until we ultimately collapse. In reality, bearing does not mean endlessly squeezing ourselves. Just like Tagore's flower and string, if we do not know how to let go at the right time, the beauty and meaning in life will also disappear. Therefore, bearing requires a sense of “degree,” neither excessive bearing nor complete avoidance.

Bearing is a kind of wisdom and a form of practice. While bearing pressure, we must also learn to respond flexibly, knowing when to persist and when to adjust. The viewpoints of Tagore and Milan Kundera explain this from different angles: on one hand, we cannot let ourselves be crushed under excessive burdens; on the other hand, we also need to find the motivation and direction to move forward in bearing. Just as a kite can only fly higher by struggling in the wind, many achievements and joys in life are also obtained through moderate bearing and relentless effort.

In summary, bearing is a norm in life. Whether psychologically or physically, we will always face various pressures. The key lies in how to find balance in bearing, not being knocked down by pressure, but also drawing strength from it to achieve growth. Bearing is not just an ability; it is also a wisdom. As Tagore's verses suggest, appropriate bearing allows our lives to bloom like flowers, while Milan Kundera's perspective reminds us that it is through bearing that we can live more openly and fully.

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