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What makes you who you are? Everyone was silent after watching

If asked what defines a person's identity, what answer would you give? Is it knowledge, wealth, or social status?

By Eric LiPublished 11 months ago 6 min read
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These are only superficial appearances, the real decisive role is a person's "second identity" - your habits and cultivation. The following is a wonderful story, is the best answer.

When Zhang Jun came back from Britain, some of his friends held a banquet for him. During the dinner, a friend frequently used coarse words, indecent phrases made Zhang Jun several times to show disgust.

When the dinner was over, his friend explained to him that he did not mean it and that it was just a phrase caused by habit. After a short silence, Zhang Jun said, "Let me tell you about my experience when I just arrived in Britain."

Like most Chinese students studying abroad, I stayed with a local family.

The landlords are an elderly couple named Campbell. They were gracious and generous, robbing me of my neighbour's house for a token fee of a few pounds.

It is a matter of pride for them to have a foreign student living at home. Not only did they let the whole community know, they called their sons and daughters as far away as Manchester and London to tell them.

In order to realize my dream of studying abroad, my parents owe more than one hundred thousand yuan. I cherished the hard-won learning opportunity and stayed in the library until it closed in the evening.

Fortunately, I found a good employer and didn't have to worry about life at all. Every day when I came home, there was a delicious meal waiting for me, and Mrs. Campbell would wash and iron my dirty clothes when I changed them. They treated me like a son, so to speak.

But it was not long before I felt Mr. Campbell's attitude towards me turn cold, and look at me a little differently. I began to wonder if they thought my rent was too low and wanted to raise it but were too embarrassed to ask.

When I got back from school a little after eleven o 'clock that night and had just finished washing and was about to undress for bed, Mr. Campbell crept into my room. After a few pleasantries, Mr. Cambel sat down in a chair, conversation-like.

"Son," began Mr. Campbell, "in your home in China, when you come home at midnight, whether your parents are asleep or not, do you slam the door, splutter and cough loudly?"

I was stunned: Was that what he was saying?

I said, "I don't know, maybe......." Really, no one had ever asked me that question in my entire life, and I hadn't paid much attention to the "details" myself.

"I'm sure you didn't mean it." 'My wife has insomnia,' said Mr Campbell, smiling. 'You wake her up every night when you come back, and once she wakes up she has trouble falling back asleep. I shall be very glad, therefore, if you will be quieter when you come home in the evenings."

Mr. Campbell paused, then added, "I have wanted to warn you for a long time, but my wife kept me from doing so for fear of hurting your pride. You're a sensible boy, and you wouldn't take my friendly reminders as an injury to your pride, would you?"

I nodded reluctantly. It is not that I find Mr. Campbell's remark wrong or injurious, but rather that he is calculating.

One afternoon soon after, however, as I sat down in my room after school, Mr Campbell followed me. I noticed that his face was dark, which was rare.

"Son, you may not like it, but I have to ask. Do you use the toilet without lifting the seat?" 'he asked.

My heart clattered. I admit, sometimes I have a tight bladder, or I'm lazy, and I don't lift the toilet mat.

"Occasionally......" I mumbled.

"How can that work? 'cried Mr Campbell.' Don't you know that spills urine on the mat? It's not just unhygienic, it's disrespectful to others, especially women!"

I said, "I didn't mean to be disrespectful at all, I just forgot......."

Of course I believe you didn't mean it, but that shouldn't be a reason for doing it!

Looking at Mr. Campbell's flushed face, I muttered, 'It's not such a small thing to make you so angry, is it?'

Mr. Cambel became more and more excited. "Consideration, consideration and respect for others is the least of a person's cultivation, and cultivation is reflected in small things.""My son, it is important to get a degree and a good position, but it is also important to have good habits and good manners in getting along with others. If degree and position represent a person's identity, then habits and self-cultivation are a person's second identity, people will also judge a person by this!"

I lay in bed at night thinking about it, and decided to leave Cambel's house. Since they despise me, I will find a more tolerant family to live in.

The next day I took my leave of the Cambels, in spite of their efforts to persuade them. But what happened next was unexpected.

I went to five or six houses in a row, and they all greeted me with the same question: "I heard you don't lift the toilet mat when you go to the bathroom?"

In that tone, in that look, I realized that this was an unfathomably serious matter to any of them. As you can imagine, in the face of such a question, I only gradually shy back and run away.

At this point, I understand Mr. Campbell said, "habit and cultivation is a person's second identity" this sentence.

After listening to the story, I fell into a deep thought about developing good living habits. Why should we wait until we grow up and go to a foreign country to learn these lessons which should be completed in our childhood?

Indeed, if Zhang Jun had not met Mr. Campbell, he might never have learned it!How much is missing from our life education?

A truly cultured person is not a momentary consciousness, which is rooted in the inner aura, even if you do not open your mouth, but also through your body, your words and deeds know a little.

On the subway or bus, no matter when you are in a hurry, don't push others, so as not to cause safety accidents.

When you meet the delivery man or delivery man in the elevator, press the floor for them to remind them that there is no hurry to deliver food and drive safely.

When you throw rubbish away, put it in the designated bin and don't bother the cleaners.

When talking with others, listen to the other person before giving your opinion. Don't interrupt.

Enter the corridor in rainy days, put the umbrella into the bag, so as not to wet the ground and other people's clothes...

"Do not neglect to do good, and do not neglect to do evil." It's all small things, but when you do it, you look big.

Remember: to be convenient with others is to be convenient with yourself.

Cultured people, no matter what they do, will put themselves in the shoes of others, with a common heart to see the world, with humble heart to live.

May you learn to be a rigorous person, keep your heart in impetuous, be a personable and elegant person, cultivate one's self in indifference.

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About the Creator

Eric Li

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