I had made plans with a friend to go hiking together and then have tea at home after coming down from the mountain. However, before we set off in the morning, I received a call from him saying, "I won't be able to join you for the hike because there's an urgent matter at work."

As usual, I went hiking alone. I sat on a rock at the summit, looking at the bustling city of Taipei's East District. Even in the early morning, cars were already crowded on the streets, like a chain of ants scurrying around. All these people and cars must be rushing for some urgent matter. In comparison, hiking and having tea seemed insignificant.

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We often sacrifice non-urgent matters to attend to urgent ones. For example, sacrificing sleep for overtime work, sacrificing meal times for business performance, sacrificing time with loved ones for social events, sacrificing tea time with friends for career advancement.

Indeed, urgent matters cannot be ignored. However, the urgency of life is never-ending, and we end up spending most of our lives in a state of urgency. Life has many important yet not urgent matters.

For example, relaxing and meditating every day, enjoying a leisurely meal, savoring the fragrance of tea, taking a walk in nature, admiring the changing scenery of mountains and clouds, listening to the rain, the stream, music, reading books about people, love, and leisure.

There are many important matters that are difficult to express in words, but urgent matters take up all the space. Life's space is limited, and when it is filled with urgent matters, it becomes like a city full of cars but without green spaces.

Green spaces are important, cars are urgent.

Trees are important, buildings are urgent.

Clouds are important, planes are urgent.

Contentment is important, desires are urgent.

Peace of mind is important, hospitals are urgent.

If a person spends eight hours a day chasing after material possessions and worldly matters, can't they spare eighty minutes to ponder important matters? If not, they can start with eight minutes.

Eight minutes of enlightenment, eight minutes of meditation, eight minutes of focus, eight minutes of relaxation, eight minutes of selflessness, eight minutes of harmony with the universe, eight minutes of embracing simplicity and truth.

Life will begin to change from these eight minutes, and everyday life will become more leisurely and enjoyable.

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