The Half-Red, Half-Green Apple: Finding Joy by Flowing with Nature
This is a real photograph, completely untouched by Photoshop.
Source: cri.cn
Looking at this picture, you might think it’s just a digitally edited image or the result of a prank. But it’s actually real. This apple grew on an elderly man’s tree in the UK, naturally divided into half-red and half-green. Experts were amazed, calling it a one-in-a-million miracle.
Ken Morrish, living in Devon, UK, was surprised to find a bizarre apple on the tree in his garden: half red, half green, perfectly split down the middle. He initially suspected a prank, thinking someone had painted the apple. But when he walked closer and inspected it, he was stunned to find that this magical effect was completely natural.
He carefully picked the apple and consulted several horticulturists and fruit experts. They too were astonished. Experts explained that this unique phenomenon is caused by a genetic mutation during growth, related to the difference in sunlight exposure on both sides. Generally, the red half tastes sweeter than the green half. The probability of this happening is estimated to be one in a million.
I saw someone comment: “If the apple that fell on Newton’s head had been this one, would he still have become a physicist?”
Thinking about it quietly, that comment actually makes a lot of sense. Perhaps he would have become an outstanding biologist instead, or maybe we wouldn’t even know the name “Newton” today.
That is Chance!
If a life-changing opportunity landed right on you, what would you choose? For survival, everyone tends to choose the path that seems most “beneficial” to them. But is that so-called “beneficial” path truly the right one?
Laozi said: “Man follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows what is natural (Ziran).” Human ideas can sometimes be quite amusing. Since we cannot predict the future, we simply accept and align with our thoughts. We have no way of knowing how future generations will judge us through the lens of history, or whether we did right or wrong. But following “nature” is always the ultimate way.
We don’t need to cultivate our minds to such an incredibly high, esoteric level. In my eyes, since there is no absolute right or wrong in your choices, why not just follow the principle of doing it for my own happiness (just be happy)? I believe this is the closest everyday people can get to the realm of “Ziran” (natural flow).