Chapter 50 Chapter Eight How I Get Happy

99% of the things people worry about won't happen, so isn't it stupid to worry about things that won't happen? In the summer of 1943, most of the world's troubles seemed to be upon me. For 40 years, my life has been smooth, with just a few minor annoyances of being a husband, father, and business.Suddenly, one blow after another hit me, making me toss and turn: (1) The business school I run is facing a serious financial crisis because the boys are enlisted to fight in the army.Many people work in weapons factories for higher salaries than graduates of our schools. (2) My eldest son is also in the military, and like all parents, I miss him a lot.

(3) The mayor of Oklahoma is expropriating land to build an airport. My house is located on this land. The compensation I can get is only 1/10 of the market price.To make matters worse, I was worried that I would not be able to find a house that would shelter my family of six because of the lack of housing in the city. (4) The well on the farm is dry because a canal is being dug nearby.Spending another $500 to re-dig the well is throwing money in the water because the land has already been expropriated.Every morning, I have to carry water to feed the livestock. It may take two months. Maybe I will be so tired for the rest of my life.

(5) I live 10 kilometers away from the business school. Due to wartime regulations, I can't buy new tires. Therefore, I am always worried that the old car will break down in the wilderness with nowhere to go. . (6) My oldest daughter graduated high school a year early, and she is determined to go to college, but I can't pay her tuition, and she will be heartbroken. One afternoon, sitting in my office, I suddenly decided to write them all down, as if it would ease my pain.As the months passed, I almost forgot what I was writing about.A year and a half later, I saw it again one day while putting things together.I found it interesting while watching it, and learned a few things at the same time.Because now I know, none of that actually happened.

The final result of these 6 major worries is as follows: (1) It is pointless to worry that the school will not survive, because the government began to allocate funds to train retired soldiers, and my school soon filled up with students. (2) There's no point worrying about the son who joined the army, he came back unscathed. (3) It is meaningless to worry about the land being expropriated to build an airport, because oil fields are found nearby, so it is impossible to be expropriated again. (4) Worrying about running out of water to feed animals is pointless.Now that my land won't be confiscated, I can spend money digging new wells.

(5) It is meaningless to worry about the car breaking down halfway, because I have been careful about maintenance, but I have persisted. (6) It is meaningless to worry about the education expenses of the eldest daughter.Just before the start of the university, someone offered me a job as an inspector. I could use my spare time after class to work part-time, and my eldest daughter’s tuition fee problem was easily solved. I've heard people talk before that 99% of their troubles don't happen. I didn't quite believe it until I saw this list of troubles. Although I worry about these troubles for nothing, I still feel that they are worth it, because I learned an experience that I will never forget and realized a profound truth: what a thing it is to suffer for things that will never happen. What a tragedy.

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.Ask yourself, how do I know what I fear will actually happen?