There was once such a cartoon in the British media:
Shakespeare looked down and bit his fingers, glancing out of the corner of his eye at a poster of four simultaneous plays by a playwright, as if depressed by jealousy.
This playwright is Maugham, the author of "The Moon and Sixpence".
Surprisingly, after the success of the script, he suddenly proposed to suspend the writing of the script and write a novel.
Because that was what he had to do, he had a burden to be lifted.
This reminds me of what Strickland, the protagonist of "The Moon and Sixpence," said:
"I have to draw, it's not something I can control."
The book tells the story of Strickland's deviant story from the perspective of the first-person "I".
At the age of 40, he gave up his successful career and happy family without warning to embark on a journey to pursue his dream of painting.
It is a pity that during his lifetime, his paintings were worthless and disliked;
After his death, he became famous, and many collectors rushed to buy it.
When I first read The Moon and Sixpence, I thought Strickland's behavior was grotesque and ridiculous, like a madman.
As I grew older and went through the world, I couldn't help but burst into tears when I read it again.
I really feel the regret that "when you look at your feet and look for sixpence, you miss the moon".
How should a person live this life well, maybe you can find the answer from these 4 sentences.
- People will soon get bored with the constant telling of their misfortunes, and they will not be pleasing to anyone by always putting on a pitiful face.
In the face of the sorrow of the world, everyone has the right to vent their emotions.
But if you allow your negative emotions to spread, you will not only deplete the sympathy of others, but also make people disgusted.
Fu Seoul said:
"Collapse is everyone's right, but the collapse that can't be hidden is just a scar, and the collapse that can't be hidden is a medal!"
Mrs. Strickland was one such person.
Strickland's abandonment of his family and children plunged Mrs. Strickland into deep despair.
When she realizes that Strickland is unlikely to return, she no longer washes her face with tears and complains to her friends, but calmly faces the predicament in front of her.
To save money, she sold her furniture, rented out her apartment, and moved into a small house.
Not only that, but she also began to learn shorthand and typing, and it didn't take long for her to open a typing house and start a small business.
Her misadventures have attracted her many customers, and her friends have done their best to introduce her to people they know.
Soon, Mrs. Strickland was in business.
Human life is full of uncertainties.
Everyone can be like Mrs. Strickland, with unbearable blows.
When people first encounter great changes, they will inevitably complain to their friends for comfort because they can't bear it, and their friends will also give care and help.
But if you talk and complain too much, not only will you not bring about positive change, but you will also be trapped in a long-term pessimistic mood.
Manage your emotions well and adjust your mentality in time, even if you will experience ups and downs, you will inevitably sweep away the haze and rejuvenate the cold valley.
- It is not worth it for people in a civilized society to waste their short lives on boring entertainment.
Mrs. Strickland was a keen entertainer, and she often hosted banquets and invited literary celebrities.
Once, "I" was invited to a banquet by chance.
During the dinner, I watched the boring communication scene of the guests with a cold eye.
They all wore masks and played perfunctory work on each other.
They talk about topics that the other is not interested in, just to show off their knowledge.
He also deliberately talked loudly in order to stir up the atmosphere.
The whole process seemed awkward and uninteresting, and soon, several of the guests showed tired faces.
In real life, many people are always actively involved in various social interactions in order to expand their network.
I thought that the more people I knew, the more opportunities I had.
However, they are often physically and mentally exhausted before the meeting is over. After the end of the show, I added a bunch of WeChat, and when I turned around, I forgot who was who.
Blind communication will not get emotional gains, nor will it get any practical benefits.
There is a sentence in "Please Stop Ineffective Socializing":
"The way to meet great people is very simple, and that is to make yourself a great person."
Instead of going out of your way to make friends, spend more time cultivating yourself.
You know, the essence of networking is equivalent exchange.
A good network is never a unilateral consumption, but a win-win situation for both parties.
Only by constantly accumulating your own value and enhancing your strength, everything you want will come one after another.
Only excellent people can have effective connections.
- Wanting to be approved by others is a deep-seated instinct of civilized human beings.
Have you ever counted how many times you've quit?
What did you miss out on these experiences?
In fact, most people will retreat, and the fundamental reason is that they cannot be approved by others.
I wanted to focus on writing, but I was told that I had no talent, so I gave up;
If you want to learn to add value, you are said that it is useless to study when you are old, so you will give up......
It is true that we must follow the advice of others, but if we blindly care about the opinions of others, we will ignore our own feelings.
Sometimes, laughing at it can make you move forward better.
Strickland didn't have any foundation in painting and only briefly studied in evening school.
Everyone thinks that Strickland has no talent for painting and can't make it to the mark.
At one point, "I" asked Strickland curiously:
"What do your classmates think of your paintings?"
Strickland said nonchalantly:
"My classmates took my paintings as a joke."
He also casually talked about the fact that someone had come to his studio to look at the paintings, but he only raised his eyebrows and left without saying a word.
After saying that, Strickland laughed, without the slightest expression of despair on his face, and still poured his enthusiasm into the painting.
Not getting the approval of others doesn't necessarily mean failure.
Sometimes, people are accustomed to interpreting the words and actions of others with their own values and beliefs.
There are even some things that only look at the surface and have already come to conclusions that they think are correct.
Paying too much attention to the one-sided conclusions of others will only increase annoyance, self-doubt, and eventually loss of confidence.
You must know that on the road to success, many times it is high and low.
Don't blindly change yourself and abandon your reasonable ideas in order to gain the approval of others.
Be true to yourself, grow upward, take root downward, and eventually usher in the life you want.
- Most people don't become who they want to be, but who they have to be.
Maybe there is a passage that will shock your heart.
There is an inner monologue of Strickland in the book:
When I was younger, I had a dream that I wanted to be a painter, but I didn't do it very well.
Later, I became a stockbroker, and I was forty years old.
In life, many people have reached middle age, have stable jobs, and live happily ever after.
To outsiders, they seem to have neither long-term nor near-term concerns.
However, what people can't see is that they take off their gorgeous coats, but they often stand alone in front of the window in the middle of the night and sigh.
The cry of their souls kept them blind to their dreams, but life had already locked them in a cage from which they could not break free.
Actually, looking up at the moon is sublime, and it is not humble to bow your head and pick up a sixpence.
As the book says:
"Your way of pursuing inner peace is art, and I am life."
Captain Bruno made a big mistake in managing his finances and became a poor man overnight.
As a last resort, he and his wife came to live on a deserted island.
At first, life was hard, not only building a house by yourself, but also clearing the bushes and planting coconuts.
They work hard every day, and they often feel anxious about making ends meet.
Thankfully, after some hard work, the money earned is enough to maintain their food and clothing.
The abundance of hard work has made Captain Bruno extremely happy.
People live in the world, and only a few people can finally realize their ideals.
Create beauty with the way of life, work hard to live for firewood, rice, oil and salt, and look up at the starry sky.
As stated in "Sending Friends Home":
"Yu Dao each works hard, and thousands of miles are the same wind."
Chasing the moon, you can choose to abandon the world, or you can choose to dance with reality, the key is where the heart wants, and different paths can also end together.
Those who are truly engaged in life will surely reap the rewards.
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The end of the book is very intriguing:
"He remembered that in the old days, he could buy thirteen fine oysters for one shilling."
It seems like a simple sentence, but it has a deep meaning.
Actually, the next words are:
"Do not judge anyone, lest you be judged."
It makes us understand that whether we are succumbing to reality or looking up at the stars, all we have to do is look inside ourselves and strive to be who we are.
We do not judge arbitrarily or belittle ourselves, and respect everyone's way of life.
No complaints, no frustration, no stubbornness, no retreat, cherish every moment of the moment.