Posted
13 June 2010 - 09:40 PM
Source:
East Week Magazine; June Issue
Translator: Tamaya @
http://asianfanatics.net
Willing to Increase One's Value, Only Then Will Have Options.
(肯增值自己，才会有选择)
2002 summer, the year when my spirit was at its driest point, ever. My
spirit was often listless, stuck in a state of languor. My enthusiasm to
pursue news had completely faded, and I couldn't care less of the
happenings around me.
At the time, I could not pin point the reason for my unhappiness, not
until I read Ji Xianlin's (Ji Lao) words: "I am 93 years old already,
with one foot in the grave, therefore, I have to work extra harder to
finish my heart's desires."
Ah! So, the crux was this, I had come to a standstill; so, I had been
living in a 'horrifying' state of complacency; I no longer thought of
improving and upgrading myself. How do I shed this state of languor?
Verily, what Ji Lao said was indeed a shot of sobering serum. I did not
want myself to be constantly counting down the days to my retirement; I
didn't want to bury alive my own life with my own hands.
I decided to take a break!
On the day I tendered in my resignation letter, I called up my female
friend to go for a walk on the mountains; a time to meditate and
readjust my mind and spirit. Suddenly, the phone rang: "Do you still
remember my mentioning to you about publishing blueprints? How about
venturing into the publishing world together?"
That was what my present boss, Steven Ma, proposed to me then. It was
this one phrase, "together create a cultural blueprint" that inspired me
to accompany him for eight years to venture into a new environment.
Henceforth, no regretting, no retreating. The hardship and adversity
experienced in between, I chalked them all up as the learning process.
These past eight years, what I feel and what I gain, no outsiders can
even begin to understand.
A few years back, I observed how Steven, when rehearsing for his stage
show "Chinese Hamlet", was so anxious that he could hardly eat and
hardly sleep. During the few months of rehearsals and the few days of
performances, I noticed that he had become so thin his cheeks were
hollow; at that time, my heart could only ache for him.
Who would have thought that May this year, when accompanying Steven in
his shooting of the mv for Ghost Writer, the director requested him to
act out, amidst hanging sheets of fabric curtains, the state of confused
thoughts, seeking out love, and the futility of pursuing ideals. With
just a show of a hand, he captured the timing impeccably; the pose
incredibly beautiful; both the videographer's heart and mine were
momentarily awed. Turns out, what he gained from the earlier stage
rehearsals, he could now apply in another performance. This is obtained
through self-improvement. The learning process may be arduous and
lonely, but when it has an opportunity to unsheathe itself from its
scabbard, the sword revealed will gleam all that more brighter.
This realization reassured me even more than ever that rather than
expending energy on people who do not look out for us, it is better to
expend our energy into doing something worthwhile, only then will life
has more value.
Willing to appreciate one's value, only then will have options to choose from." (肯增值自己，才有选择的机会) Quote unquote Steven Ma's maxim. I agree with his saying; this is what is called, "comrades".
Source: East Weekly Magazine.
Guest Writer: Chiu Yong Yong
Ms. Chiu Yung Yung (徐蓉蓉) is the former Director of Interviews of Ming
Pao Weekly Magazine before she became Steven Ma's personal manager cum
Managing Director of his publishing company in 2003 to this day.
