Without fail well wishes are exchanged and prayed for every lunar new year, often without much deeper thoughts. In recent years when I utter some of these common greetings some doubt or apprehension would surface in my mind momentarily. For example when I wish someone 心想事成 a tinge of skeptism would flash in my mind as to whether anyone would really know what is best for themselves. Likewise would 万事如意 ever be possible in a person's life year after year. If it does wouldn't that render them unable to handle any obstacle or misfortune that occurs eventually. Wouldn't the desire for all good things lining up one after another make us miserable when that fails to happen? Don't we have to be cognisant of the fact that even happy situations do end as change occurs every moment?
During Chinese calligraphy class, the teacher passed around a book full of well meaning couplets as ideas for writing CNY scrolls. I struggled trying to read the chinese characters and understanding their meaning. Noticing my handicap the teacher read a loud for me some phrases which she herself liked whilst explaining their meaning. In the end I settled for 与 山 同 静, 隋地有春 . My understanding or personal interpretation of the phrases is that of a state of mind 'to have the calmness and quietude like that of the mountain and for spring to flourish everywhere'. Needless to say to achieve that is no mean feat. However I think it is at least achievable to varying degrees depending on mind training and resolve. Certainly it is a better bet than 万事如意 or 笑口常開 (always smiling).
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