My name is Li Qiang, and I am just 40 years old this year. In the eyes of others, I seem to live an "unassailable" life - with a stable job, a beautiful wife, and a warm home. However, what they see is only a façade. In fact, not only did I have no friends, but I was also increasingly estranged from my family.
Ever since I was a child, I felt out of place in the world. My parents were typical Chinese parents who only knew how to shape me according to their own expectations and standards. The path they have planned for me in life is like a pre-set trajectory, and I cannot deviate from it in the slightest. In school, I was always the one who excelled, but at the same time, I was isolated. Because my world is only about learning, and I have no friends.
After graduating from university, I worked for a large corporation. At work, I'm still the one who only knows how to put my head down and work hard. Watching my colleagues interact and joke with each other, I always felt like I couldn't fit in. Gradually, I found that not only did I have no friends among my colleagues, but even my relationship with my family became stranger.
My wife was a college classmate of mine, and we had a wonderful campus romance. However, as time went on, I found that she was becoming more and more at odds with my values. She likes to be lively and social, and I have no interest in that. There are fewer and fewer common topics between us, and there is almost nothing to say except for children and family trivia.
I always had an indescribable sense of distance from my parents. They were always concerned about my work and family, but they never really understood my inner world. I wanted to share my joys and sorrows with them, but I found that an insurmountable chasm had formed between us.
I began to reflect on my life, why did I get to this point? I tried to change myself and try to fit in with the world around me. However, I found that I always had an indelible sense of loneliness deep inside. I realized that it wasn't that I didn't have friends and affection, but that I lacked an understanding and recognition.
I started trying to communicate with the people around me and try to understand their thoughts and feelings. I have found that everyone has their own stories and values, and these stories and values are closely related to our upbringing and experience. I started to pay more attention to my family's feelings and needs, trying to build a closer relationship with them.
Gradually, I realized that my life began to change a little. I've made some like-minded friends at work, and my relationship with my family has become closer. I'm no longer the lonely person who only knows how to work hard. I began to know how to care for others and how to share my joys and sorrows.
Looking back now, I understand the reason why people have no friends and weak family ties in middle age - we always ignore the understanding and recognition between people. We thought that as long as we had a stable job, a beautiful wife, and a warm home, we could live a happy life. However, true happiness does not lie in these superficial things, but in our inner feelings and relationships with others.
Everyone has their own stories and values, and these stories and values are closely related to our upbringing and experiences. We need more understanding and recognition, and we need more care and companionship. Only in this way can we walk more firmly and calmly on the road of life.