Life is but a brief moment, a mere few decades. Instead of being bound by the shackles of convention, it’s better to embrace a little willfulness, to pursue the joy and contentment that lie within, and to live authentically.
Willfulness is the persistence of a youthful spirit, even after the passage of time. In the show “The Band’s Summer,” Pu Shu abruptly left the stage due to exhaustion, simply to return home and enjoy a moment of peace. This act of following one’s heart is a form of willfulness, demonstrating his determination and courage to not go with the flow. Once, during a performance, he was captivated by a beautiful sunset and insisted on stopping to admire it. This willfulness allowed him to retain the passion of youth and an endless longing for life, even as time passed.
Willfulness is the boldness to follow the call of one’s heart and venture to the places one longs for.
The “Shishuo Xinyu” recounts that Wang Ziyu, on a snowy night, suddenly thought of his friend Dai Kui. He set off on a small boat, undeterred by the late hour and long journey. However, upon reaching Dai Kui’s door, he turned back, saying, “I came on a whim, and when the whim was satisfied, I returned. Why see Dai?” This kind of willfulness, driven by genuine inner desires, fills his life with poetry and romance, unbound by the etiquette and rules of the world, and guided solely by the heart to live authentically.
Willfulness is also a wisdom that makes life flavorful and fulfilling.
Wang Zengqi, known as “the last pure literati in China,” loved writing, painting, and cooking. He was passionate about good food, beautiful scenery, and fun activities, and occasionally indulged in drinking, enjoying it to the fullest. With this willfulness, he lived a rich and colorful life, filled with joy, undisturbed by trivial matters, and fully immersed in the beauty of life, cherishing every moment.
In his book “Live Life as You Wish,” Chua Lam argues that life is only about a hundred years long, so why not live it out with flair and willfulness? Many people regard money and status as the entirety of life, yet they overlook its essence—happiness. Money and power are just tools and means to achieve happiness, not the whole picture. Being willful allows us to imagine freely, try boldly, and act as we wish without overstepping boundaries. While pursuing our true selves, we must also have the ability to control our own lives, not being limited by the rules and constraints of the outside world, and living out the ideal version of ourselves.
Life is short, so why live so tired? Embrace willfulness to live happier, more authentic, and more fulfilling lives. This is the most beautiful posture of life.