I just realized an interesting thing about the proverb "Clear water has no fish," and it seems many people only know half of the phrase. In fact, the full sentence is "Clear water has no fish, and overly cautious people have no disciples," but the latter part is often completely forgotten.

Looking deeper, I see that this phrase is not just about fish and water, but is a lesson about how to live. The first half, "Clear water has no fish," has two meanings: first, when the water is too clear, fish are easily exposed and can be caught by predators or humans. Second, overly clear water means a lack of nutrients, so fish can't survive, similar to humans in a desert. Simply put, absolute perfection often doesn't exist and can even be harmful.

The second part, "Overly cautious people have no disciples," is the wise part. Here, "cautious" doesn't mean a good trait but rather being overly strict or overly clever. If you demand perfection from others, you'll find it hard to have companions. That's why very intelligent people often feel lonely.

I think about family: with parents, instead of criticizing their imperfections, I learn to understand and respect them more. With spouses, instead of arguing over trivial matters, couples should find common ground and accept their differences. With children, praise and encouragement are more effective than criticism.

The same applies to work. When harmonizing with colleagues, instead of judging others harshly, we should respect different ideas. The strength of the collective always surpasses individual effort.

The proverb "Clear water has no fish" reminds me that "no one is perfect, and there is no gold without flaws." Life is too short to judge each other harshly. Tolerance and understanding are a form of cultivation, a truly wise way of living. When we lower our demands for perfection, we will have more companions, relationships will be warmer, and life will be lighter.