Take for example, a general consultation with a fortune teller. Simple instructions are carried out dedicatedly in the hope that things change for the better. For me, it was a change in the Chinese strokes for my name, Jade. Being unable to retain good friends who evaporate after a time by moving far, far away or becoming estranged due to different interests, the name change was to harness social harmony into my life.
The task - rewrite my name a thousand times. A thousand times! For the regular Chinese name, that would mean 3 characters x 1000 each… And, no cheating by “copy, paste” method on the PC. Good old fashioned ink on paper. A THOUSAND times! Oh, such an arduous task. Having kept to myself for so long, would I welcome spots of social chit chat and get togethers? What do you think?
Having reached the 720th milestone, I feel a sense of achievement. Although it has been some 1 year plus of a little practice, lots of procrastination, a little more writing and more procrastination, I look around in expectation… Honestly, what was I expecting? Maybe a small miracle. Has this happened? In a small way, yes! Not too daunting for a person who’s learning to come out again. Will the new social affections blossom into pillars of friendship? Perhaps the 1000th and final mark of rewriting my name would be the seal that cements this foretelling. Amen!
All in all, a wise person is indeed a discerning one. Having presented the psyche of her wisdom, the fortune teller has ensured that a lesson is learnt… a thousand times. Yes indeed, practice makes perfect!
