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The Red Thread
The concept of the red thread dates back to ancient East Asian culture. Typically, in modern media, you hear about it in romance movies — couples destined against all odds to be together because an invisible red thread connects them.
The original story (at least the Chinese version) is that the God of Marriage connects a red thread between those who are fated to be with each other.
One day, he appears as an old man and tells a young boy that he is destined to marry a girl in his village. The angry boy shouted, “I will never get married!”
He picked up a rock and threw it at the girl, and it hit her in the face. Then, he ran away, forgetting what the old man had told him. Years go by, and he is arranged to marry a beautiful bride in the village. During their wedding, her face was covered by a veil.
Upon looking beneath the veil, he sees a scar on his bride's face, and then he says, “Who did this to you? I will strike down the man who hurt you!”
His new bride speaks softly, “It happened when I was a little girl. A boy threw a rock at me, and it struck me in the face.”
While the red thread makes for a great romance flick, many people miss the most important part of this philosophical idea.
You are connected to everyone.
An invisible red thread connects you to your family, friends, and community. No matter how far away you are from someone you love, your connection is there.
Every day is an opportunity to shorten the red thread and bring those you love closer to you. Your alienated child or family member may be far away, but the connection can never be severed.
