Among all the characters, the one I have grown to love the most is “笑” (smile/laughter). I believe it can express being filled with happiness in a single character. The reason I thought so was a dream I had when I was in Vietnam.

One night, I met a beggar in my dream. His life seemed to be very poor. He looked ragged, and his clothes were torn. Some might feel sorry for such a person. However, he didn’t have a pained expression on his face. I approached him and greeted him. To my surprise, he responded with a cheerful “Good morning” in a joyful voice. I was a bit taken aback and asked him a question, “Why are you so happy despite your difficult life?” But he didn’t answer. Instead, he asked me this question, “What’s the use of life if it’s not enjoyable?” I couldn’t answer. Then, my mother woke me up, and the dream ended abruptly. I had been pondering the answer to that question in my head. So, what should we do when faced with difficulties?

People have different ways of thinking. Some people might cry when they’re in trouble. But if you think a bit deeper, you’ll realize that it’s better to live happily. Even if you have worries, they will eventually fade away. No matter how dire the situation, if you maintain a smile and an optimistic attitude, things might return to normal. There might be times when someone worries too much and becomes unable to do anything. In such cases, it’s better to take a break before starting again. Resting will bring back your smile. If you always smile, your worries will gradually diminish, and problems will be resolved.

With that in mind, I think that for me, smiling is not just about laughing but serves a purpose like medicine. If you keep smiling, you can overcome anything. “Happiness comes to those who smile.”