New (School) Year's Resolution

I will start this off with this -- This July, I visited Taiwan for a few days, which was interesting, but a bit awkward at some points.  I got on the "Maokong", or "Cat-Sky" rope-way that went deep into the mountains.  The way there was boring; just sitting there with a few Koreans that didn't say anything.

But on the way down, however, I entered the car with a very old Chinese woman, who first asked me where I was from, and other things that you usually would say when you first meet someone.  When I told her that I was from Japan, she suddenly changed her attitude and said something about "Qiudao".  First, I had no idea, so she asked for a "Bi".  I wondered for a good ten seconds what a "Bi" was until I realized it was a pen.  So I pulled out the sketch app on my iPad.  She then wrote this word -- "求道" (Qiudao) -- which must have been the "Qiudao" that she was talking about.  I then understood a little better.  The first character means "Searching" and the second means "Road", so I'm guessing it has something to do with "seeking the true path" or something equally as East-Asian.  I began to realize that this person was a Taoist.

She began to say things about how many people die in this world, how people die all the time, and we have no idea where they will go, and how the places that we will go may be completely different; but it will all be wonderful.  She then talked about how unpredictable the future and afterlife is...And then something about "生死" (Shengsi), which I'm guessing is "Life and Death", and how quickly it passes -- of course, she is able to say that because she was about 90 years old.  I have no idea about the next part (there was quite a language barrier), but she said something about how the only thing that we will take with us is our personality.

Ever since then I've been thinking about that experience, which was only maybe 20 minutes, but meant several times more than the days and days of going to churches.  It opened my mind beyond words -- I began to realize that I have no idea about the future, or where anyone goes, or anything.  I used to think that if there was no evidence for something, it does not exist; but now I believe that there just may be something I don't know about.  I realized that we may not understand what that future is, but it is our duty as human beings to strive for that future.  But that does not mean that we should try to understand that future.  It will come, or maybe not; it is utterly idiotic to try and understand it.

I want to make the lives of people around me better; both now and later.  I do not fear the flames or eternal torture (really any of the Christian crap), but I do think that if the only thing that we take with us is our personality, then I would like to refine that personality as much as possible.  I believe that this is what a good religion is about:  not about rules, regulations, we need to do this and that -- just become a better person. That is my resolution.

I don't think that I will ever meet that old woman again.  She said that she was going to die soon, but even if she was not, I have no idea where she is.  But she has already left such an impression with me that I don't need to.

Thank you, and rest in peace, grandmother.
多謝，平安休息祖母。