10/29/2026
On October 27, I wrote about belief while reflecting on Cai Zheng’s ambitious effort to build MUST, a telescope designed to advance China's spectroscopic survey to the front rank in the world.
As I wrote, I was reminded of a conversation I once had with my sister.
Her son also lives in the United States. When we decided to move from Kansas to the East Coast to be closer to our children, my sister asked whether I worried about the possibility of not getting along with my daughter-in-law. Perhaps it's better to keep a safe distance. She herself was concerned that she might have difficulty maintaining a good relationship with her son’s girlfriend.
I told her something along these lines: You have to trust your son’s judgment. You also have to believe in your own ability to get along with the people you meet in life. You have to believe that if you treat people with kindness and respect, they will most likely treat you in kind.
Of course, I had no way of knowing in advance how well I would get along with my daughter-in-law. But I could not let that uncertainty stop me from making a decision I believed was right for our family. I had to trust myself to build the relationship and to deal with whatever challenges might arise.
Looking back, I realize that this, too, was a kind of leap of faith—not blind faith that everything would go smoothly, but confidence that I could face the unknown.
Life is full of uncertainties. If we always wait until we know exactly how everything will turn out, we may never take the first step. Some things can only be understood through experience. We venture forward, learn as we go, adjust ourselves when necessary, and gradually discover what works.
As I reflected on this, a Chinese expression came to mind: 摸着石头过河 (Mō zhe shí tou guò hé)—literally, “crossing the river by feeling for the stones.” It describes moving forward step by step when the road ahead is not clear.
Perhaps this is what belief really means: not knowing for certain that we will succeed, but trusting ourselves enough to begin.
When we cannot always see the other side of the river, we have to take the first step and feel for the stones along the way. That is also how China opened its doors and embarked on reform.
