Friday, June 17, 2016
There is a Chinese maxim: “Eat Bitter” or “Eating Bitterness”, known as Chi Ku. It is a Chinese phrase for enduring hardship. It means to endure something unpleasant or to continue in spite of pain, creating strength of character. Back in my teaching days I had a principal, Mr. Fong, who kept a bowl of candy on his desk. Whenever a student (or teacher!) was in his office for disciplinary reasons, he would offer the bowl. He’d explain that it was a Chinese custom to offer something sweet to soften the blow of something bitter or hard. Enduring pain and grief can be a chi ku experience. You don’t want to live on a diet of bitterness, but remember that good comes with the bad, blessing in the midst of trial, joy comes after the dark night of the soul.