(written in 2004)
Tolstoy's exhibition is now on. It is said that the host waited and prepared for this grand exhibition for 10 years. A collection of Tolstoy's short writings, "What Men Live By?" has become a bestseller and still draws a lot of attention.
What is life? Why does a person live? For what does a person live? With what should a person live? What should a person do and not do? What is the secret that makes people happy?
Such were the questions Lev Nicholaevich Tolstoy(1828-1910), a writer, thinker, social activist, and educator, always kept in mind. He thought the most important and trustworthy knowledge is that of “how to live.”
His childhood was probably lonely and unhappy because his parents passed away when he was very young. Nevertheless, he was filled with warm-hearted, enthusiastic, and active energy with a variety of interests in many fields. He was family-oriented and continuously pursued people's love and happiness.
He didn't want to remain in an acquired right so he lived a monk-like life by practicing love. He enjoyed being with children, neighbors, and nature. He believed that sharing happiness with others is the way to save people and chose literature as a way of salvation.
He didn't live in theory, ideology, or ideals only; he took an active interest in relieving the poor by charitable sharing. He even regarded table servants as "memento mori"(the sign of death) and cherished physical labor and communication with nature in daily life.
The Orthodox Church drove him out and wanted him to repent and come back to the church, but it was Tolstoy who thoroughly lived the essential truth of Jesus, that is, loving others as they are. Love was the key point and motif in his life. Knowing and practicing the way of love was his only important post. To him, love meant living for others with common goodness.
Because of this love, his writings based on his autobiographical reality are womanly, maternal, and warm-hearted. His stories became our stories because of this reality. His writing is grounded not in revenge or hatred, but in forgiveness and love. Giving clothes or food to needy people is one way of love.
Love is truly the starting point of change. Because of this awareness, Tolstoy cherished people's happiness and interest more than personal honor and reputation. He was truly a man of action. That's why so many people followed the funeral procession by walking 5km.
He liked to be with children and people around. Guests were welcomed to his house, and he enjoyed communicating with other writers such as Gorikii, Chekhov, and Turgenev Dostoevskii. He even communicated with Edison and Gandhi. He respected Lao Tzu and liked to read "Tao Te Ching"(The Way of Life).
He read "Tao Te Ching" in German first and studied the Chinese language to read the original "Tao Te Ching" at the age of 62. After appreciating Lao Tzu's writings, Tolstoy wanted to resemble Lao Tzu. Aside from the Bible, "Tao Te Ching" was his second important book. He realized that "doing nothing" is not a state of perfection but a state of doing by the law of nature.
He wrote 464 pieces of work for 58 years and had 13 children. He practiced goodness and "doing nothing," while living simple faith and love with ordinary people. He had love and responsibility for humankind.
Tolstoy left many sayings. Among them, let me share with you the following insight about the importance of the present moment: “The most crucial moment is the present. It is in the present that we can control the self. The most important person is the person to whom we are related at present. It is because you don't know whether you will continue that relationship from then on. The most important thing to do is to love everybody to whom you are related. It's because we are born only to love others."
The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ Dec. 22, 2004
No comments:
Post a Comment