西汉人韩婴《韩诗外传》里有个故事：
有一天，周游列国下乡走透透的孔子，来到一个名叫少源的地方，他在郊野看到有个妇女很伤心地哭泣着，就叫随侍的弟子前去探问，看有没有可以帮忙的。
弟子走到妇人面前，问道：“我的老师孔夫子问您，为什么哭得这样悲痛呢？”
妇人说：“刚才我在割草时，不小心把我丈夫给我的一枚蓍草编的簪子弄丢了，找也找不到，所以很难过。”
弟子说：“一枚用蓍草编的簪子值几个钱?值得这样悲伤吗?”
妇人说：“那是我亡夫从前在谈恋爱时，送给我的定情之物，那不是一枚普通的簪子啊，我怎能不痛心呢?”
孔子听了之后，对弟子们说：“真心挚情，哪怕是一枚草簪，也胜过金簪玉簪啊。”
相信很多人都有类似的经验：年轻时和异性谈恋爱，两个人都没有钱，不能送对方很昂贵的礼物，不能带对方去豪华的餐厅，不能常去看电影、上舞厅……只能在很小很小的饭店里点最便宜的东西吃，而后手牵手一同压马路，可是那是一生里最甜蜜幸福、最珍贵难忘的经历；很久很久以后，也许是同初恋的对象，也许是另外的人，我们结婚了，有很好的工作，有了很多的钱，我们可以天天去情调最好的西餐厅吃牛排，去最高级的饭店吃日本料理。我们可以买金项链、钻戒和昂贵时髦的衣物送给对方，我们可以选择海内外著名的观光胜地前往旅游……可是，爱情却已经褪色了，不再像当初那样甜美，连钻戒和金项链也没有初恋时情人送的那个像玩具一样的镀金戒指、镀银链子那般珍贵。
不是我们被岁月淘炼得变挑剔了，而是当初那种纯真朴实的感情已不再了。日常生活里掺杂了太多无法逃躲的现实 —— 名位的计较、金钱的盘算、工作的压力、生活的刻板、无可推卸的责任、对未来的无力感和不确定感、病痛的纠缠……全都使我们变得庸俗多虑，变得不浪漫、不可爱，也无法爱人。
我们拥有了财富、名位，拥有了许多物质上的享受，可是，我们却不再拥有爱情。当我们开着名贵的轿车偶尔到溪头、阿里山去旅游时，我们最羡慕的竟是车窗外在路边背着背包行走的一对年轻的恋人。
是的，什么都有了，就是没有爱情。是的，金钱是万能的，它可以买到享受，买到欢乐，买到物欲的满足，可以买许多许多的钻戒，可是它却买不到一个深情的男子用蓍草编的簪子，买不到爱情。
这就是为什么那个割草的妇人在遗失了那枚草簪后会那样悲哀痛哭的原因了。
当岁月流逝，当我们变得愈来愈市侩、愈来愈不浪漫时，我们所能拥有的，只剩下初恋时美好的回忆，和当时那段甜蜜爱情的见证 —— 一枚情人亲手编的蓍草簪子。如果连这枚草簪都无法拥有，我们怎能不痛哭流涕呢?
First Love Forever - Yin Dengguo (Canada)
There’s a story from “Hanshiwaizhuan” of Hanyin who is from Western Han Dynasty.
One day, Confucius toured the various countries ,and came to a place called shaoyuan, he saw one woman was sad and crying in the countryside, so asked disciple with him to see if she needs help.
The disciple came in front of the woman and asked: “My teacher Confucius wanted me to ask you why you’re so sorrowful”
Woman said: “I mowed grasses,but carelessly lost one Achillea straw hairpin my husband gave me. I couldn’t find it, so I’m very sad about it.”
Disciple said: “How much does a Achillea straw hairpin cost? Does it worthy of you to be this sad?”
Woman said: “That’s the token of love which were sent by my late husband when we’re in love, it’s not an ordinary hairpin. How can I not distressed about it?
After listening to his disciple, Confucius said: “True love, even if a Achillea straw hairpin, it’s also better than gold hairpin or jade hairpin .”
I believe many people have similar experiences: fell in love with the opposite sex when we were young, the two were not rich, and couldn’t send expensive gifts to each other or go to luxurious restaurants, also they couldn’t go to movies or discos often… … only in a very small hotel to have the cheapest food, then hand in hand to go for a walk, but it was the sweetest and happiest time, the most unforgettable experience in their lives; After a long time, we married to someone who’s perhaps your first love or someone else,we have a good job and lots of money, we can go to the best pleasant ambience of steak restaurant, or the most classy hotel for Japanese food. We can buy a golden necklace, diamond ring,high fashion clothes for gifts, We can travel to the tourist spots which are well-known at home and abroad… but love faded,it’s not sweet as before,the diamond ring and golden necklace are not as precious as the baubles like gilt ones which were sent by first love.
It’s not that we become picky as time travels by,it’s just because the innocent and pure love we once had dies . There are too many unescapable realities in our daily lives - chasing after fames and reputations, calculating money,pressure from work, monotonous life, unavoidable responsibilities, for the sense of powerlessness and uncertainty for the future and illness entangled … … all let us become more vulgar and
overconsiderated,non-romantic,disagreeable,and we’ll never love again.
We have the wealth, fame and staus, with a lot of materials to enjoy, but we do not have love any more. Occasionally,when we drive the luxurious car to Hsitou, Alishan for travelling, what we envy is the young lovers who are walking pass our car windows with their backpacks.
Yes,we have all,but no love,Yes,money is omnipotent,it can purchase enjoyment ,pleasure, the material satisfaction, and numerous diamond rings, but it can not buy the Achillea straw hairpin which was from a soulful man,it can not buy love.
That is why the woman was so sad after she lost the hairpin when she’s mowing.
The years rolled on, when we become more and more philistine and non-romantic, we only could have nice memories of first love, and the testimony of sweet love – a hand-made Valentine’s Achillea grass hairpin. If we couldn’t have the hairpin, how can we do not burst into tears?
