“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” —– Aristotle, Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scientist and Physician
Dear brother:
Forgive me first. That, I should write for you at the coming of September. But, during the first mouth and the half of October, I must adapt myself to the new environment of living and studying. There were four times of the pouring rain here that made me sick, serious influenza, and I revived luckily at the end. Then, sorry for my lazy, there are too much to write by my hands, so I input them into the PC.
I want to tell you something about “Enjoying your life”. You are so young and have a happily family, which are the desired dreams for others, like a same-aged child living in the poor county far away from the luxury city, without parents besides, ignoring of his ignorance. Having so widen knowledge, you are just 13 years old, that makes your old brother envy. You should cherish and enjoy your life by your heart. What is the real life? High quality and definite target. The former is offered by your parents, and the latter must be made by yourself. Real life is not the life you are having now, but the better life you will have through your own hard work just now!
Remember your essential target deeply and firmly. Traveling alone, touching the nature, enjoying a beautiful music concert live, falling in love with a pretty girl and so forth, I know you need them really. But those wonderful things are not gifts given by Lord without price. Only finished the essential target can you own them easily. Your essential target is nothing but studying now and searching more in the college 3 years later. Studying should also be your belief, not only the duty you must accomplish everyday, that have as your ambition and aspiration. It is a happy travel to the peak of Mount Everest, is not? What your job is just enjoy those cheerfulness.
“Insistence, Efficiency and Plan” is the esoterica of Kung Fu that I had given to you in the former letter. If I had the right to say something truth, I would tell you about this method again, because it is the part of my life, and births of my deeply pondering. I will not analysis those any more in this letter. You know how to get them.
It is really a big problem to deal with others, when you become older and order. I got lost in my senior high school at the same age like yours’. You can not choose the teachers you like, but you can be the best of yourself. Once, I advised that you should be a class representative of math, physic or chemistry. I deem that it has advantage of contacting teacher easily and frequently, and learning more than others who are just common. It is harder to deal with your classmates, who are spending with you everyday.
Firstly, you should think highly of your study, and never let it frustrated by your friends, even the bad students. Without a good performance, you are nothing but a ridiculous clown. Secondly, making friends with good students you like, learn how they learn, think how they think. As Lu Xun said, “Absorb the essence and discard the dross”. Thirdly, let us talk something about the girls. I heard some about your tragic love story and your poor ex-girlfriend, which is real I do not know, but I think it is an easy thing not like the terrible comments your parents and your aunts said. If a clever girl loved you, it obviously indicates that you are an outstanding and handsome boy, who has so much excellent advantages and respected moralities. So, as this aspect, I am on your side. But, as other aspects, I do not agree with the insignificance love you may have now, at the period of studying and the point of changing your destiny. DO YOU GET MY WORDS? Well, please do not make your brother down again.
Hangzhou is the province of Zhejiang, a famous old city, also an advanced international city, and I love her so much. There is a Chinese saying known to many: “In heaven is paradise, on earth are Suzhou and Hangzhou.” I had visited the West Lake on the first of October, and had a bike trip along the QianTang River. I will go to the LingYin Temple this Thursday. Lots of people, come from many countries, are studying in the college, where is a stage you can show yourself and tell others you are the one in this world. There are also many pretty and hard-working girls here, who are better a thousand times than that in your small senior high school. So, studying harder, and make your best!
Best wishes for you and your parents!
Yours,
Jian Chan
2013/10/22
本作品由陈健采用知识共享署名-非商业性使用-相同方式共享 4.0 国际许可协议进行许可。
