Fortune cookies are a good idea. If the message is positive, it

Hear, O children of simple joys, the words of Yao Ming, the giant of the court and gentle of heart, who declared: “Fortune cookies are a good idea. If the message is positive, it can make your day a little better.” Though spoken with humility and humor, these words carry a truth as ancient as the human spirit—that even the smallest spark of encouragement can bring light to a weary soul. For the human heart, though mighty in courage, often bends beneath the weight of unseen burdens, and a single positive message can lift it again toward hope.

The meaning of this saying lies in the power of words. Words are not idle sounds; they are seeds planted in the mind. A word of kindness may heal a wound no medicine can touch; a word of cruelty may wound deeper than any blade. The fortune cookie, though small and wrapped in jest, carries within it the potential to awaken laughter, to stir courage, to remind the soul that life is not without beauty. Thus Yao Ming, who towered above men in stature, reminds us of the towering power of even the smallest positive word.

The origin of fortune cookies may be debated—whether from the tea gardens of Japan or the kitchens of America—but their essence remains universal. Humanity has always sought signs, omens, and tokens of hope. The ancients read them in the stars, in the flight of birds, in the casting of lots. The fortune cookie is but a modern echo of this longing: a morsel of sweetness wrapped around a message of destiny. Yao Ming saw through its simplicity into its power: that a good word, however humble, can make your day a little better.

Consider the tale of Winston Churchill in the days when Britain stood alone against tyranny. His people feared the night sky, darkened by bombers. Yet through the airwaves came his words—stirring, unyielding, filled with positivity and resolve. Each message, though only words, gave courage to a nation, lifted hearts from despair, and steeled hands for the fight. Like the fortune cookie’s slip of paper, his speeches were small, but the hope they carried was immeasurable.

Mark also the life of Anne Frank, a child hidden from the cruelty of war. Surrounded by shadows, she turned to the power of words in her diary. Her own sentences—filled with hope, faith in humanity, and longing for beauty—were positive messages she gave first to herself. Long after her passing, those words became fortunes for the world, lifting countless hearts and reminding all that even in the darkest night, the light of optimism can survive.

O children of tomorrow, take this lesson: never underestimate the strength of a kind word, however small. A greeting, a compliment, a note of encouragement, even a simple fortune cookie slip—these are not trifles, but gifts that may change the course of another’s day, or even their life. The smallest candle may banish the largest darkness. So, too, your words may be the spark that ignites courage in another’s heart.

Practical wisdom calls you: be deliberate in sowing positive messages. Speak encouragement to your friends, write notes of gratitude, and when you see one bowed down, offer a word that lifts. Seek also such words for yourself: read wisdom, surround yourself with voices that inspire, and let even the humble fortune cookie remind you that life offers blessings in unexpected places. By filling your world with positivity, you build a shield against despair.

So remember the counsel of Yao Ming: “If the message is positive, it can make your day a little better.” Do not despise the small word, the small gesture, the small sign of hope. For from these are woven the strength to endure, the joy to continue, and the courage to rise. Be the bearer of such messages, and you will not only brighten a single day, but perhaps kindle a light that shines through all the days to come.

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