Seeing the capital city

Author: Qiao Fushan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: That year I was 14, and suddenly I wanted to be a writer. How could I become one? By submitting manuscripts to literary publications and newspaper supplements! I pushed aside the cool water bottle on the eight-immortals dining table at home, spread out the draft paper, and started writing a novel. I took a real event from our Young Pioneer team day trip to Xiangshan Mountain and transformed it, writing about the different reactions of team members when the team flag accidentally fell onto a pine tree on the cliff. For three consecutive days, after completing my homework, I wrote it, and surprisingly, it went smoothly. I put it in an envelope, wrote "Postage Paid" in the upper right corner, and on the fourth day, on my way to school, I submitted it to the magazine Shao Nian Wen Yi. Although the short story was rejected, it gave me a taste of the joy of "starting." Putting one's wishes into practice is actually not as difficult as one imagines.
That year I was 17, and suddenly I wanted to be a director of theater. How could I do that? By applying to the directing department of the Central Academy of Drama! I walked in boldly, and from hundreds of candidates, I somehow made it into the final round of interviews with only a dozen or so remaining. Without any shame, I recited Lu Xun's A Madman's Diary and performed a short skit. Although I was ultimately rejected, I still don’t regret it. After all, I just did what I wanted to do, and I was brave enough to "start."
That year I was 19, and I was assigned to teach at Beijing No. 13 Middle School (formerly Fu Ren High School), a well-known school, and I started teaching the eighth grade. Eighth graders are usually 15 years old, and I heard that I was only four years older than them. Some relatives and colleagues worried for me—how could I maintain authority in the classroom? But when I stepped into the classroom, I surprisingly managed to teach the entire class safely until the dismissal bell rang. "Starting" is still not that hard.
This is my life experience: It’s easy to start everything. At least, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as people warn you. The key is to be brave enough to take action. Later, I met many people who had various aspirations and often possessed at least some of the conditions to fulfill those wishes. Opportunities were right in front of them, and obstacles were also limited, but they always felt that starting was hard. They hesitated, were indecisive, fearful, and hesitant, and the best outcome was just talking about it without acting. They wasted their youth in vain, always letting external waves carry them along. Even in old age, after retiring, some long-suppressed desires resurfaced—such as wanting to play the piano, perform on stage, write novels, or even get double eyelids for plastic surgery.