In a tranquil Taoist temple, there lives a young Taoist priest. One of his daily duties is to sweep the fallen leaves in the Taoist temple. Those golden and reddish leaves are like letters from nature, falling with the breeze and covering the paths and courtyards of the Taoist temple. The young Taoist priest always waves his broom earnestly and diligently, gathering the leaves one by one. However, this seems to be an endless task, taking a long time to finish every day.

One day, a passerby saw the young Taoist priest working hard to sweep the fallen leaves and said to him, "Before you clean, shake the tree vigorously and shake all the fallen leaves down. Then you won't have to clean tomorrow." As soon as the young Taoist priest heard this, he thought this idea was extremely wonderful. In his simple mind, it seemed as if he saw the easy days in the future and no longer had to worry about these endless fallen leaves. So, he happily followed the advice. He used all his strength to shake the big tree, and the leaves fluttered down like a splendid rain of leaves. The young Taoist priest looked at the fallen leaves all over the ground, filled with a sense of accomplishment, as if he had solved a huge problem.

However, the next morning, when the young Taoist priest pushed open the door of the Taoist temple, he was surprised to find that the courtyard was covered with fallen leaves as usual. Those newly fallen leaves lay quietly on the ground, as if mocking his naivety. The young Taoist priest's heart was filled with confusion and disappointment. He didn't understand why his efforts didn't get the due reward.

In Taoist thought, it is emphasized to conform to nature and respect the laws of development of things. The falling of leaves is a natural cycle and cannot be stopped or changed by artificial means. The young Taoist priest vigorously shakes the tree, trying to solve the problem of fallen leaves all at once. This is a behavior that goes against the laws of nature. Taoism believes that everything has its way and cannot be forced. Just like the change of seasons, the blooming and fading of flowers are all the rhythms of nature. We cannot prevent the coming of winter because we long for the warmth of spring, nor can we make a flower never wither because we love its beauty.

The experience of the young Taoist priest makes us deeply realize that nothing can be accomplished hastily. In this fast-paced modern society, we are often driven by utilitarianism, longing to achieve success quickly and pursue immediate results. We are always running in a hurry but forget to stop, enjoy the scenery along the way, and feel the process of life. We are eager to complete tasks and achieve goals but ignore the importance of every present moment.

Doing well what needs to be done today is being responsible for one's whole life. Every day is a part of life. We cannot ignore today's efforts because of worries about the future. Just like the young Taoist priest, if he can take every day's cleaning work seriously and enjoy this process instead of trying to find shortcuts, then he may find inner peace and satisfaction in this ordinary task. Taoism advocates "governing by doing nothing," which doesn't mean doing nothing at all but conforming to nature, not deliberately pursuing results but focusing on the actions of the present.

When we do every little thing today with our heart, we are actually laying the foundation for our future. Every small effort and every serious decision is like a brick, building the edifice of our life. We cannot give up today's efforts because of the uncertainty of tomorrow, nor can we ignore the immediate responsibilities because of pursuing distant goals.

On the road of life, we will encounter various challenges and difficulties. Sometimes, we will be like the young Taoist priest, longing to find a quick way to solve problems. However, the real wisdom lies in knowing how to accept the impermanence of life, conform to the laws of nature, and do every little thing in the present moment well. Whether it is work, study, or life, we should face it with a peaceful mindset, not being impatient, not being anxious, and not being eager for quick success.

We can draw strength from Taoist thought and learn to let go of utilitarianism and return to inner peace. When we are no longer swayed by the temptations and pressures from the outside world, we can truly focus on the present and do every thing well. We can live like nature, with a peaceful and leisurely rhythm, not in a hurry, not panicked. In this process, we will find that the beauty of life does not lie in the result but in the process. Every moment has its value, and every effort has its meaning.

The story of the young Taoist priest and the fallen leaves, although simple, contains profound life philosophy. It reminds us that on the road of pursuing our dreams, we should not be eager for quick success. We should learn to cherish every present moment and do well what needs to be done today. Only in this way can we find true happiness and satisfaction in the long river of life and be responsible for our own lives. Let us welcome every challenge in life with a peaceful heart, feel every beautiful moment, and write our own wonderful life in accordance with the rhythm of nature.