Talent is like a spring—if not replenished, it will dry up. Jiang Yan, a celebrated writer of the Southern Dynasties, was known for his brilliant prose and painting in youth. Yet in his later years, he would sit with a brush in hand, unable to write a single line. Legend says he dreamed of returning a five-colored brush to the immortal Guo Pu, after which his inspiration vanished. But the brush was never the source—it was merely a symbol. True talent is not a gift bestowed once and forever. It requires daily nurturing. Early success can be a trap if it breeds complacency; later struggles need not be despair if we remain humble and persistent. Genius fades not because fate is cruel, but because effort ceases. Let us cultivate diligence as a habit, and humility as a shield. In doing so, even when inspiration seems lost, we may yet find a new stream flowing within.