There is a famous Chinese quote you may have heard. It says, “To be a warrior in the garden is better than to be a gardener in a war.”
Although we probably heard this quote many times before, do we really know the meaning lies behind it?
In this post, I will explain the meaning of this quote and how to apply it to our lives. Check this out.
The quote origin
“To be a warrior in the garden is better than to be a gardener in a war” is an old Chinese saying. Also one that is getting famous around the world by translations.
That means if we track all the way back to its origin, it’s clear. The warrior in the garden quote was from China.
“To be a warrior in a garden is better than to be a gardener in a war” meaning
Always be prepared
“To be a warrior in a garden is better than to be a gardener in a war” means we should be prepared. Prepared both mentally and physically in any situation, even when we are in a calm and friendly environment. If we do so, we will be more capable of defending ourselves when something unexpected happens in the future.
The quote also means that we should always be ready for the worst of anything. Even when we are in a moment when we least expect it. We wouldn’t really know when will the bad times come.
Sharpen your skills whenever you can
Even in a calm situation, you should always remember to sharpen your skills. This is so you will be prepared when something unexpected happens. It will be more difficult to overcome troubles when you are unprepared for them.
Always try to live peacefully
The quote also means that you deserve to live peacefully whenever you can, especially when you’re in a calm situation. But you should always be prepared and ready to defend yourself when you need to.
Always have a self-control
The quote also tells us about the importance of self-control. Even if someone has all the power to make them capable of doing anything, they need to be able to restrain their strength in order to make a peaceful life. However, they should always be ready to defend themselves at any time.
The quote means that you should always be prepared to overcome problems, or you’ll lose. It could literally mean you’ll die if you’re not getting prepared for your fight. That or you will fail if you are not prepared to face your problems. Although people can learn from their failures, you should not fail too many times.
To be capable is better
It means it would be better if you have the necessary skills but not use them. So that you are capable to defend yourself, rather than not having the capacity at all.
Everyone has their own skills and capacities that can be opposite to one another. For example, a farmer has the strength to nurture lives. While a soldier has the strength to take a life away when needed.
As a code of honor
The quote can also be a code of honor for warriors in wars. But it also can be used as a rule in our daily life.
Reasons why being a warrior in the garden is better than being a gardener in a war
- When an obstacle comes, it’s better to have the strength to defend yourself
It is better to have strength so that you can use it when you need to defend yourself. The alternative is not having strength or capabilities at all.
You would not be able to defend your life when you don’t have any strength or capabilities.
- It’s good to have a peaceful life, but you must be able to fight if necessary
We should be humble and live peacefully whenever we can. Even then, we must have the strength to fight in a certain situation.
- It tells us to not be weak and incompetent
You should not be shame to be weak when you’ve just started something. But, to be constantly weak without any attempts to improve yourself is shameful. It is our responsibility to overcome our obstacles, and we need to be competent and resilient to do it.
- It’s a good moral code for our lives
The quote is a good moral code to live by. It says that we need to have personal control. We need to be able to control our strength and live peacefully whenever it’s possible. We also need to be able to use our strength when we need to.
- It teaches us to control ourselves
In great strength comes great responsibility. And it’s important to have our strength but choose to not use it under certain circumstances. That’s why we need to have good self-control. It can be hard to do, but it will be the most rewarding once you master it.
Conclusion
“To be a warrior in a garden is better than to be a gardener in a war” is a quote that has deep meanings that can be implemented in our lives.
The quote told us to be strong and competent and to be able to defend ourselves when we need to. That it is better than not being able to defend ourselves at all.
It also tells us to always be prepared and sharpen our abilities and our skills always. Since we don’t know when tough obstacles will come in our lives. It told us to always be ready to overcome any situation in life.
