When I was young, I believed everything was down to my own skills and that hard work would solve everything...

Now that I'm in my 50s, it's hitting me hard that the world doesn't just go the way I want, no matter how well I do my part.

The things I can actually control are such a tiny fraction; the rest is mostly decided by someone else, or some external force we usually call 'luck'...

Some people say you can even control your luck... but 'controlling luck' means putting in so much time and effort that luck becomes irrelevant, and that's definitely easier said than done.

I used to watch my mom pray with a bowl of fresh water and wonder why she bothered, but now I finally get why she did it.

I feel like I need to become more humble and keep my cool.