雖然人事時地物已不可考，我依然記得，一位朋友曾真切的講述過這個故事：一位富人對上蒼提出的懇求。

這個故事，可以編織成一則寓言，一則能翻轉生命視角的寓言；對於願意反求諸己的人，它蘊藏著強大的提升力量。

是提升，不是改變。因為沉淪也是一種改變，而我們真正需要的，是見證自己正向的成長。

 

那是一個特別的時刻：富人的身體每況愈下，他對生命的安排感到極度困惑與不甘。

那一刻，他激動、也憤怒。

我們不妨從窮人的視角，觀看富人的世界：窮人總是羨慕富人所擁有的一切，幻想著自己能一夕之間享有同樣的榮華。

 

然而，富人的懇求卻出乎意料，他向上蒼呼喊道：「請把我所有的財產收回去，我都不要了，我只要健康。」

窮人們不知道的是：富人所擁有的一切，還包括了無法擺脫的重病與痛苦。

如果我們能以同理心聆聽富人的請求，便會明白：命將盡，再多財富也無任何意義。

 

但這份覺悟，還有更深一層的解讀：財富，不是死亡臨近時才失去意義，而是從一開始，就未真正具備意義。

富人對「健康才是真正的財富」的體悟，世人並不陌生。只是，在這個世界上，真正實踐這種生活態度的人寥寥無幾；健康的價值，不是眾說紛紜，就是無人問津。

 

畢竟，只要世界上存在財富，就必然有人擁有財富，也必然有人誤解財富。

這時，最基本的認知悄然浮現於每個聆聽故事者的心中：「財富買不到生命，金錢換不回健康。」

富人在生命將盡之際，終於領悟了生命最根本的道理。

而身為平凡人的我們，是否也非得等到瀕臨死亡之時，才能讀懂這則啟示？

 

「生命要我們體會什麼？」與「健康是什麼？」這兩大命題，在富人的故事中產生了交集。

擁有生命，與擁有健康，原本就是同一件事。

 

擁有財富，不應是一種罪過。

當擁有財富的人產生罪惡感時，可以反思自己當初對財富的態度：是珍惜，還是貪圖？

富人回想起自己曾經的吝嗇與傲慢，回想起自己偏離正道的人生軌跡。

他明白，自己未曾真正履行「取之於社會、用之於社會」的責任。

 

此刻，他的內心飽受煎熬與懺悔。

錯誤理解財富，錯誤解讀生命的意義，最終都匯聚於此刻的覺醒：

有的人來得及，有的人，卻永遠來不及。

「貪圖的結果終究是失去。」而貪圖的對立面，是珍惜。

富人陷入沉思：為何人類那麼難以養成珍惜的態度？

生命，被造物主賦予了有限的時光；而生命受限背後的真相，交由人類自己去體悟。

富人領悟到：看清生命真相的代價，居然是失去生命，這未免太過沉重。

 

他明白了：珍惜自己的人身，就是珍惜自己的人生。

珍惜生命的擁有，應該是人類最該守護的禮物，或說是財富。

這時，生命的片段如走馬燈閃過：

那些曾經尋求他救助的親友，那些勸他捐贈、提醒他節制飲食的智者。

 

然而，過去的他，不是冷漠拒絕，就是將這些善意當作耳邊風。

直到病痛加劇到連呼吸都成了奢侈，他才問自己：這一生活著的意義何在？

赫然間，他領悟到：正是自己「堅持不助人」的心態，才剝奪了自己真正的健康。

他想起了自己的奢靡，自己的吝嗇，自己一生只為縱慾與享樂的日子。

 

在生命最脆弱的邊緣，他終於明白：幫助他人，才是生命的真正意義；幫助他人，才是健康的完整定義。

他終於懂了「天助自助者」的真義，「自助者」正是那些願意助人的人。

天，只幫助那些願意幫助人的人。

 

在「叫天天不應、叫地地不靈」的時刻，富人定調自己失敗的一生。

他終於明白古人所說的「自掘墳墓」，原來並非譬喻，而是赤裸的真相。

 

（最大的財富肉眼看不到，只有心能找到。）

 

The Rich Man’s Plea

Though the specifics of time, place, and people have long been lost, I still vividly recall a story once sincerely told by a friend: the story of a rich man who made a heartfelt plea to the heavens.
This story could well be woven into a fable—a fable capable of transforming one’s perspective on life; for those willing to look inward, it holds the power to elevate the soul.
It is elevation, not mere change—for even degeneration is a form of change, and what we truly seek is to witness our own growth in the right direction.

It was a pivotal moment: the rich man’s health was deteriorating rapidly, and he found himself bewildered and resentful toward the course of his life.
In that moment, he was both agitated and furious.
Let us view the world through the eyes of the poor: the poor often envy all that the rich possess, fantasizing about one day attaining the same splendor and luxury.

Yet, the rich man’s plea was utterly unexpected. He cried out to the heavens,
“Take back all my wealth—every last coin. I want none of it. All I ask for is my health.”
What the poor did not know was that along with the rich man’s possessions came inescapable illness and excruciating pain.
If we listen to the rich man’s plea with empathy, we will realize: at the brink of death, no amount of wealth holds any meaning.

Yet, there is a deeper layer to this realization: wealth does not lose its meaning only at the end of life—it has never truly possessed meaning from the very beginning.
The notion that “health is the real wealth” is hardly unfamiliar to us.
And yet, in this world, few truly live by that principle; the value of health is either hotly debated or simply ignored.

After all, as long as wealth exists, there will be those who possess it—and inevitably, those who misunderstand it.
At this point, a fundamental realization arises quietly in the hearts of all who hear the story:
“Money cannot buy life, nor can riches redeem health.”
As his life drew to a close, the rich man finally grasped the most fundamental truth of existence.
And we—ordinary people—must ask ourselves: must we too wait until we stand at death’s door before we can comprehend this revelation?

“What is life asking us to learn?” and “What is true health?” —these two great questions converge within the rich man’s story.
To have life and to have health were never two separate matters; they have always been one and the same.

To possess wealth is not a sin.
But when those who have wealth begin to feel guilt, it is worth reflecting: what was their original attitude toward it? Was it gratitude—or greed?
The rich man recalled his own stinginess and arrogance, the ways he had strayed from the righteous path.
He realized he had never truly fulfilled the duty of “taking from society and giving back to society.”

Now, he was tormented by remorse.
A lifetime of misunderstanding wealth, misreading the meaning of life, had led him to this agonizing awakening:
Some awaken in time; others, tragically, never do.
“In the end, greed always leads to loss.” And the opposite of greed is gratitude.

The rich man fell into deep reflection:
“Why is it so difficult for human beings to develop an attitude of gratitude?”
Life, granted to us by the Creator, comes with an intrinsic limitation—time.
And the truth hidden behind life’s brevity is left for humanity to realize on its own.
The rich man understood: the cost of truly seeing life’s truth was the loss of life itself—a cost almost too heavy to bear.

He realized: to cherish one’s body is to cherish one’s very life.
To treasure the gift of life should be humanity’s most sacred duty—or perhaps its truest form of wealth.

In that moment, flashes of his life crossed before him like a carousel:
The relatives and friends who had once sought his help, the wise voices who had urged him to give, who had reminded him to practice moderation.

And yet, the man he once was had met such appeals with indifference, treating sincere advice as passing noise.
It was not until the agony grew so fierce that even breathing became a luxury that he finally asked himself:
“What was the meaning of my life?”
Suddenly, the answer became clear:
It was his persistent refusal to help others that had stripped him of his true health.

He remembered his extravagance, his stinginess, his days spent chasing only indulgence and pleasure.
At the most fragile edge of life, he finally understood:
Helping others is the true meaning of life.
Helping others is the complete definition of health.

At last, he grasped the true meaning of the ancient adage, “Heaven helps those who help themselves.”
The “selves” it refers to are those who are willing to help others.
Heaven helps only those willing to extend a hand.

In that moment of crying to heaven and earth with no reply, the rich man sealed the verdict on his failed life.
He finally realized: the ancient saying “digging one’s own grave” was not a mere metaphor—it was the naked truth.