Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Now everybody is reading the last book of the Harry Potter series, but I haven't grab a copy on it yet. However, I've just complete reading a book entitled "The Black City" to spend my free time away. This book was recommended by my friend and I feel motivated to share with everyone this wonderful story aft reading it.
This story was written by George Sand(1804-1876), the pseudonym of Madam Amandine Lucile Aurore Dudevant. The story's main characters focused on a blacksmith called Sept-Epees and a young woman named Tonine, an orphan, who worked in a paper mill. Because both Sept Epees and Tonine were independent, stubborn and ambitious, they shy away from getting merried. The plot followed Etienne through a number of less-than-successful attempts to better his financial situation in order to make himself a more attractive match for Tonine but his ambition actually drove him further away from his true happiness, Tonine. Ultimately they managed to be together after a series of turbulent setbacks in their relationship.
This story simply blew me away for its simplicity and yet strong lessons that are left behind for the reader. The story taught me 2 important lessons in life, "What is an ideal relationship?" and "What is the actual beauty of a lady?"
In the story, Sept-Epees and Tonine actually took some time before they really understood each other's intention. The story taught a beautiful lesson, that love requires the appreciation from each other, and the effort and time to appreciate each person's character and intent for the relationship. Antonie de Saint Exupery, author of The Little Prince once said that an ideal relationship is not one in which a pair of lovers gaze fixedly on one another, rather its becomes ideal when 2 people have their eyes focused on a mutual goal and walk together to accomplish something.
The journey to create a loving relationship is not trouble-free. Problems do occur. The problems that occurred to Sept-Epees and Tonine became sources of rejection at times but also an opportunity for increasing love, trust and caring on the other hand. The story also strengthened my belief that in difficult times, the one that encourages us most along the thorny path of tribulations will no doubt be the one that has the serious intent to establish a permanent relationship.
My second major lesson from the book is that a woman's true beauty is not a matter of her appearance but rather it comes from deep within her heart. Tonine has a restrictive and unhappy childhood and she had intended to live for herself in the first place. But slowly her self discovery process enabled her to realise that the key to happiness is to live for the sake of others. She decided to better the lives around her by being generous, sensitive, sincere towards others, and made it her duty to console those less fortunate than she is.
A woman with sincerity, wisdom and gentleness generally radiates happiness. Happiness definitely is amplified by a life of altruism and not a life of self-centered living.
8:33 PM
Moonlight shone ~
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