Top 20 Most Meaningful Life Stories You Should Read

On summer days, the Ant wandered across the fields, gathering wheat and barley grains to store up food for the winter. The Grasshopper saw this and mocked the Ant for working so hard while other creatures were resting, playing, and enjoying festivals. The Ant, however, continued silently working. When winter arrived, the rain poured heavily, and the Grasshopper could not find food, becoming weak with hunger. It then went to the Ant to ask for food. The Ant replied: 'Had you worked like I did, instead of mocking me, you wouldn’t be starving now!'

Lesson: Life will not always be smooth. Today's work may go well, but we never know what tomorrow holds. Our health today may be fine, but it could change in the future. Therefore, we must always plan ahead and have backups for any unforeseen risks. This is how we ensure security in life.

A group of frogs were strolling through the forest when two of them fell into a deep pit. The rest of the frogs gathered around the edge of the pit, trying to help them out. But seeing how deep the pit was, they all said that the two frogs had no chance of survival.

The two frogs ignored the negative comments and kept trying to jump out of the pit with all their strength. The other frogs continued to shout that they should stop trying, as they would never make it out.

Eventually, one frog, overwhelmed by the comments, gave up and tragically died in despair.

The other frog kept jumping, ignoring the discouraging shouts. The more they shouted at it, the harder it tried. Eventually, it managed to leap out of the pit. The frogs surrounded it and asked, 'Didn't you hear us telling you to stop?' The frog, however, was hard of hearing and thought they had been encouraging it all along.

Lesson: Don’t let the words of others make you give up on your own efforts. Success may be just a little beyond your reach, and with a bit more persistence, you can achieve it.

The Donkey and the Mule were traveling together. Both of them were carrying the same load. The Donkey complained that the Mule was carrying the same amount of goods but was given double the portion of food. The Mule quietly said nothing. After traveling a while, the Donkey became exhausted.

The owner decided to lighten the Donkey's load and transferred some of the goods to the Mule. The Mule didn’t object, continuing the journey. After some more time, the Donkey became even more fatigued. The owner took off even more of the load from the Donkey and placed it on the Mule’s back. Now, the Donkey was left with almost no goods to carry, trailing behind, struggling to catch its breath. At that point, the Mule turned to the Donkey and said:

– Hey, my dear friend, shouldn't I be getting twice the amount of food?

Lesson: When we make judgments or assessments about something, it’s not about how it starts but how it ends.

Once upon a time, the Fox and the Stork visited each other and seemed to be very close friends. The Fox then invited the Stork over for dinner and played a small trick by serving soup in a shallow dish.

The Fox easily lapped up the food, but the Stork, with its long beak, could only dip the tip of its beak into the dish, leaving the food untouched.

The Fox apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, wasn't the soup your favorite?"

"You should pray, not apologize," the Stork replied. "I hope next time when you visit, dinner will be served in a manner suitable for both of us."

Eventually, the Fox visited the Stork, but when they sat down for dinner, all the food was served in a tall jar with a narrow opening.

The Fox couldn’t eat, and all he could do was lick the outside of the jar.

"I won’t apologize for dinner," the Stork said.

Lesson: What goes around comes around. When you do something wrong to someone, a similar misfortune will eventually come your way.

A Crow, as black as coal, became envious of a Swan, whose feathers were as white as snow.

One day, the Crow foolishly thought that if it lived like the Swan, swimming and splashing in the water all day, and eating the plants and algae growing underwater, its feathers would turn as white as the Swan's. So, the Crow left the forest and flew to the ponds and swamps to live.

Despite bathing and washing day after day, its feathers remained as black as ever.

And when the algae in the water upset its stomach, the Crow grew weaker and weaker, eventually dying from the effects.

Lesson: Do not chase after illusions or try to imitate what you cannot have, for in the end, foolish actions will lead to your own downfall.

There were two tigers: one was in a cage, the other in the wild. Each tiger believed their situation was worse, and both admired the other's life. They decided to switch places. At first, they were both happy, but soon after, both tigers perished: one died from hunger, and the other from sorrow.

Lesson: There are times when we overlook our own happiness while focusing on the happiness of others. In reality, what you have is often what others long for.

Life is full of unexpected turns. I hope that after reading these stories, everyone can remind themselves to appreciate what they have, at all times and in every place.

The female students openly voted for the class beauty queen. Xiao Mai, who had an average appearance, stood up and said: "If I am chosen, in a few years, the women sitting here can proudly tell their husbands, 'When I was in college, I was even more beautiful than the class beauty queen!'" As a result, she was elected with almost unanimous votes.

Lesson: To persuade others to support you, it’s not necessary to prove how much better you are than everyone else. Instead, make them realize that by supporting you, they will become better and more accomplished.

One afternoon, a fox was strolling through the forest when it spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from a high vine. The fox drooled at the sight.

"These will quench my thirst," it thought.

Taking a few steps back, the fox leaped but only managed to grab some leaves, not the grapes. It tried again, backing up further, but still couldn't reach them. The fox tried every trick in the book, but the grapes remained just out of reach.

Finally, it gave up, raised its nose and said, "They were probably sour anyway," and walked away.

Lesson: It is easy to belittle what you cannot have. Some people, when they fail to obtain something, will dismiss it as unimportant. In reality, it is simply because their limitations prevent them from getting it, and they make excuses to justify their failure.

A new teacher noticed a student in class who was constantly called a fool. During recess, the teacher asked the group of friends why.

- He's really a fool, sir. If you give him a large 5 ruble coin and a small 10 ruble coin, he would choose the larger 5 ruble coin, thinking it's better just because it's bigger in size.

Look, teacher, see for yourself. One of the students shows the two coins and lets the boy pick. And he still chooses the 5 ruble coin as before.
The teacher, surprised, asks:
- Why did you pick the 5 ruble coin instead of the 10 ruble one?
- Look, teacher, the 5 ruble coin is bigger.
After school, the teacher goes to the boy again to ask:
- Don’t you understand that the 5 ruble coin is just bigger in size, but the 10 ruble one lets you buy more things?
- If I take the 10 rubles, they won't give me any next time... the boy replies.

Lesson: Surely by now you might think the boy seemed foolish, but not really. There's an old saying: 'A fool pretending to be dangerous is nothing to fear, but a dangerous person pretending to be a fool is something to watch out for.' So, don't underestimate the person in front of you. They may not be as foolish as you think... This short story about the coins makes you reconsider how you judge others...

A woodcutter and a scholar were traveling together in a boat in the middle of a river. The scholar, confident in his vast knowledge, proposed a word-guessing game to pass the time, setting the terms: if he lost, he would give the woodcutter ten coins, but if the woodcutter lost, he would only lose five coins. The scholar thought of this as a way to demonstrate his superior intellect.

The woodcutter posed the first riddle:

"What weighs a thousand pounds underwater but only ten pounds once it's on land?"

The scholar puzzled over the riddle but couldn't find the answer, so he handed ten coins to the woodcutter. Then, he asked the woodcutter to reveal the answer.

"I don't know either!" the woodcutter replied, giving back five coins and adding:

"Sorry, but I made five coins today." The scholar was left dumbfounded.

Lesson: Many people tend to act as if they are smarter and more knowledgeable than others, looking down on those with less education or experience. However, excessive self-confidence can sometimes lead them into embarrassing situations. They fail to realize that "intelligence can backfire," and those who are overly proud and arrogant may end up hurting themselves. In life, one should not fear the truly intelligent, but rather fear the foolish who think they are wise. Always strive to be humble and earn respect through true wisdom. This short story about the woodcutter encourages us to reflect on the virtue of humility.

When I was around eight or nine years old, I remember that sometimes my mother would burn the toast. One evening, after a long day of work, she came home and prepared dinner for my father and me. She served us some slices of toast, not just lightly burnt, but blackened as if they were charcoal. I sat quietly, staring at the burnt bread, waiting to see if anyone would notice and say anything about it.

But my father just ate his piece and casually asked about my homework and what had happened at school, just like he did every day. I don't remember exactly what I said to him that night, but I clearly recall hearing my mother apologize to him for burning the toast.

And I'll never forget what my father said to her: "I actually like burnt toast."

Later that night, when I went to say goodnight to my father, I asked him if he really liked burnt toast. He put his arm around my shoulders and replied:

"Your mother worked hard all day and she's very tired. A burnt piece of toast isn't going to hurt anyone, but do you know what really hurts? Harsh and cruel words."

He continued, "You see, life is full of imperfections, and so are people. I'm not great at everything myself—like I can never remember birthdays or anniversaries the way some people do.

What I've learned over the years is that it's important to accept others' flaws and support their differences. That's the key to creating healthy, mature, and lasting relationships, my son.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets and bitterness. Appreciate those who treat you well, and be compassionate with those who haven't yet learned to do so."

Lesson: In life, you must learn to be empathetic toward the weaknesses and limitations of others. Showing understanding towards the lives and personalities of people in your family, friendships, and relationships can create a harmonious environment. Empathy is the key to nurturing a happy family. This short story about the burnt toast is a lesson on the power of empathy between people.

The wife was busy cooking in the kitchen while her husband stood by, constantly nagging:

- Slow down! Be careful! The fire is too high! Hurry up! Flip the fish! Oh, you put too much oil!

The wife replied: I know how to cook!

The husband said: Of course you do, dear. But I'm just trying to make you understand how it feels when you nag me non-stop while I'm driving.

Lesson: Learning to empathize with others isn't difficult. All it takes is for you to seriously stand in their shoes and view the situation from their perspective. Only when you are them can you truly understand their actions from every angle. Don’t rush to judge or conclude before knowing all the details. The lesson from this story is to understand others instead of complaining about them.

Ngày xưa, có ông vua cai trị ở một đất nước phồn vinh nọ. Một ngày kia, vị vua đi ngao du sơn thủy. Khi quay trở lại hoàng cung, vị vua phàn nàn chân mình rất đau, bởi vì đây là lần đầu tiên vua phải trải qua một cuộc hành trình dài như thế và chặng đường ông đi lại rất gồ ghề, đá lởm chởm.

Sau đó, vị vua hạ lệnh:

"Cho bọc tất cả con đường trong đất nước lại bằng da. Điều này sẽ dẫn đến việc phải cần hàng ngàn bộ da bò và một số lượng khổng lồ tiền bạc."

Bỗng có một hôm, người vợ của tên hầu nhà vua đã dũng cảm hỏi nhà vua:

"Tại sao ngài lại tốn một số lượng tiền không cần thiết như thế? Tại sao ngài không dùng một miếng da nhỏ để bọc lại chân của ngài?".

Nhà vua ngạc nhiên, nhưng rồi ông cũng đồng ý làm một đôi giày.

Every time a young giraffe is born, it’s a lesson in perseverance. When giving birth, the mother giraffe does not lie down but stands, causing her newborn to fall from over 3 meters onto the ground and land right underneath her. After a few moments, the mother performs a strange action: she kicks the newborn until it gets up. If the baby giraffe grows tired and lies down, the mother forces it to stand again.

Only when the baby giraffe truly stands on its own, does the mother stop. She knocks it down again so it must try again, learning to rise with its weak, wobbly legs.

Humans are the same way. It’s easy to give up when everything seems to go wrong. But even when we face hardship, we must hold onto our faith. We don’t fail when we are beaten down, but only when we surrender. Remember, every time we confront adversity, we carry within us an untapped strength.

On the first day, the little rabbit went fishing but caught nothing.

On the second day, it tried again, but the result was the same.

On the third day, as soon as it arrived, a big fish jumped out of the pond and shouted, "If you dare use carrots to feed the fish again, I will eat you!".

Lesson: What you give is what you want to give, but it may not be what the other person desires; therefore, what you offer may hold no value in their eyes. Always consider others to make your life more meaningful.

As the train was speeding down the tracks, Gandhi accidentally dropped one of his newly bought shoes out the window, and the onlookers felt sorry for him. Surprisingly, he immediately threw the other shoe out of the window as well. This left everyone in shock, and Gandhi calmly explained, "No matter how expensive this shoe was, it’s of no use to me anymore. If someone happens to find it, they might be able to wear it."

It was a year when he was sitting in a café waiting for a friend. A woman approached and asked: "Are you the one introduced by Aunt Vương for a blind date?"

He looked up, immediately noticing she was exactly his type, and thought to himself, why not go along with this mistaken chance? So, he hurriedly replied: "Yes, please have a seat."

On their wedding day, he confessed this truth to his wife, who simply smiled and said: "I wasn’t here for a blind date; I just used that excuse to start a conversation with you."

Lesson: When fate presents itself, don’t hesitate—grab it with both hands.

A student once asked his teacher:
- Master, what is the value of life?
The teacher handed him a stone and said:
- Take this stone to the market, but don't sell it. Just observe the price people are willing to offer.
The student, following the teacher's instructions, took the stone to the market. People didn’t understand why he was trying to sell such an unattractive stone. After sitting there all day, a street vendor finally approached and offered him one coin for it. The student took the stone back, disappointed, and said:
- No one wanted to buy the stone. Fortunately, a vendor offered me one coin.
The teacher smiled and replied:
- Very well, tomorrow, take the stone to a gold shop and offer it to the shopkeeper, but remember, don’t sell it, even if the shopkeeper buys it.
The student was surprised when the gold shopkeeper offered him 500 coins for the stone. He quickly ran back to the teacher and asked why this happened. The teacher smiled and explained:
- Tomorrow, take it to an antique shop, but don't sell it, just inquire about its value.
The student did as instructed, and after some evaluation, the antique dealer offered to buy it for a fortune. He refused to sell it and rushed back to the teacher to share the story. At that moment, the teacher slowly spoke:
- The stone is actually a precious ancient jade worth a fortune, and life’s value is just like that stone: some understand it, and others do not. For those who don't understand and cannot appreciate it, life is worth nothing, but for those who do, life is priceless. The stone remains the same, life remains the same, the only difference is how you perceive it and how much you value it.

Lesson: Everyone has a different way of “pricing” success and happiness. Respect each person’s choices and make your life valuable in your own way. Only you can define your own life.

Two grains of rice were saved to be used as seeds for the next harvest. Both were healthy, plump, and strong...

One day, the farmer decided to plant them in the nearby field. The first grain of rice thought to itself:
"Why should I go with the farmer? I don't want to be buried in the soil, my body crushed. I’d rather keep all the nutrients inside and find a safe spot to stay." So it rolled into a dark corner of the rice storehouse to hide there.

The second grain, on the other hand, eagerly awaited the farmer's hand to plant it in the soil. It was excited to begin a new journey of life.

As time passed, the first grain of rice dried up in its corner, deprived of water and sunlight. Its stored nutrients were useless, and it withered away. Meanwhile, the second grain, although buried deep in the earth, sprouted into a golden rice plant, heavy with grains. It gave birth to new grains of rice...

Lesson: Never confine yourself within a protective shell to preserve a meaningless sense of safety. Be brave and embrace the challenge, even if it means breaking apart, so that you can contribute a small plant to the vast field of life – that’s the choice of the second grain of rice. In this vast field of life, I hope we all make choices that are meaningful for us.

The frog living near the field said to the one by the roadside, "It's too dangerous here, come stay where I am." The roadside frog replied, "I'm used to it, besides, I'm too lazy to move." A few days later, the frog from the field visited the roadside frog and found it crushed by a passing vehicle, its body lifeless on the road.

Lesson: Your destiny is in your hands; you will survive only if you make a move. Time waits for no one, and your path is your own. Live purposefully, don’t waste your life.