The Discourse of Great Harmony(禮運大同篇)

Dr.Sun's inscription: The Discourse of Great Harmony

When the great way prevails, the world community is equally shared by all. The worthy and able are chosen as office holders. Mutual confidence is fostered and good neighborliness cultivated. Therefore people do not regard only their own parents as parents, nor do they treat only their own children as children. Provision is made for the aged till their death; the adults are given employment; and the young enabled to grow up. Windows and widowers, orphans, the old and childless as well as the sick and disabled are all well taken care of. Men have their proper roles and women their homes. While they hate to see wealth lying about on the ground, they do not necessarily keep it for their own use. While they hate not to exert their own effort, they do not necessarily devote it for their own ends. Thus evil scheming is repressed, and robbers, thieves and other lawless elements fail to arise. So that outer doors do not have to be shut. This is called "The Age of Great Harmony".

Footprints

One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that
it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child,
I love you and would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”