Making a Living versus Creating a Life

Late in the afternoon, I sat in a roadside café, watching the flow of people. Motorcycles followed one after another, everyone rushing, their faces tense. I suddenly remembered what a friend once said: “Everyone knows how to earn money these days, but how many know how to live?”

In the past, my grandfather was a farmer. He went to the fields in the morning and returned in the evening. At night, he would sit on the porch, smoking his pipe and telling stories to his children and grandchildren. He was not wealthy, but he was always unhurried and at peace. Nowadays, I see many people working exhaustingly long hours, sometimes eighteen or twenty hours a day. But when asked if they are happy, they can only offer a strained smile: “It’s alright.”

Once, I met Tuan, an old school friend. He is a software engineer with a high salary, yet he looked utterly exhausted. I asked, “Why don’t you take a break?”

“If I rest, who will do the work? The company has a major project; it cannot be abandoned.”

He spoke quickly, his eyes still glued to his phone screen. Looking at him, I felt a pang of compassion. He had money, a house, a car, but seemingly no time to live. I recalled the story of another friend, Hoa. She works as an office clerk, but every evening she dedicates one hour to caring for her elderly mother. One day, she had to decline an important meeting to take her mother to the doctor. Her boss grumbled, “Do you value family matters more than work?”

“A job can be found again, but I only have one mother. I do not want to have regrets later.”

Hoa spoke softly, but her gaze was unwavering. I see her as someone who knows how to create a life, even though her income is not as high as others’. As for Tuan, despite his wealth, I feel he is losing something precious.

One afternoon, I decided to climb to the rooftop of my house to watch the sunset. It had been a long time since I’d done that. The sun slowly sank, painting the entire sky in gold. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A feeling of peace spread through my heart. I suddenly understood that life is not just about earning money, but also about small moments like this.

Since then, I have cultivated the habit of going to the rooftop each evening to watch the stars, or reading a few Buddhist verses before sleep. These seemingly simple acts make me feel that life has more meaning. I no longer chase money blindly.

The Meaning of the Story

The story emphasizes that while knowing how to make a living is necessary, creating a meaningful life is what truly matters. Do not let material things obscure the values of the spirit, the affection of family, and the tranquility within your own mind.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang