In winter snow
Needs no jewels.
A single crane standing unconcerned in the falling snow is the very image of independence. It needs no one, it is secure in its environment, and it is capable of going through life alone. Its independence stems from self-sufficiency.It needs no clothing, no building, no wealth, no status. It is content, even glorious in its naked identity. So too with ourselves: There is no need for dazzling clothes, an impressive career, an awesome temple, nor a bejeweled master. What we want is something far beyond such externals.
What facets of your personality are encumbrances? What personal aspects prevent you from being independent? These are the areas that will define your self-cultivation, for you must strive to stand alone. This doesn't mean that you won't ever join with others, but you will do so as an individual who will cooperate just as much as is necessary. In this way, you will never be lost in a group, and you will never fear being alone.
Personal Interpretation
We should all learn to be alone, and to rejoice in our solitude. It does not mean that we will never come together with others, but when we do so, it will be as an individual, secure in our sense of self. To embrace the self is not to obsess over external signs of status however. We must worry less about the clothes that we wear and our possessions. We must spend more time identifying the troublesome facets of our personalities and exorcising them. Self-cultivation is an important process, and it doesn't look exactly the same for any of us.
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