Talking, it's a technical job. When I was a child, I was called a "rectum", and whatever I thought in my heart, I said what I said, and what was the result? No less criticism. I remember one time at a relative's house during the Chinese New Year, I directly said that other people's dishes were salty, hey, that scene, not to mention how embarrassing it was.
Later, when I went to high school, I suddenly realized that we can't talk so directly, we have to take a detour. So I began to wonder, what the hell should I say this? My grandmother used to tell me, "A good horse is out of his legs, and a good man is out of his mouth." That's true, but how do you put it into practice?
Visiting relatives during the Chinese New Year, that is the class where I practice the art of speaking. The adults gathered around, and the topics were one after the other, and I listened to them, interjecting occasionally, and seeing how the adults reacted. Haha, at that time, I was like a little detective, trying to find clues of wisdom from the words of adults.
My cousin, who was a teacher, told me, "If you want to be smart, listen to adults." "It works. As I listened, I realized that reality and what is written in books are sometimes not exactly the same. It got me thinking, which is right? Later I understood that books are written by people, but reality is alive. If you want to truly understand the world, you have to see it with your own eyes and hear it with your own ears.
In order to improve my speaking skills, I read a lot of books, such as "Speech and Eloquence". When I was in college, I also read "Parchment Scroll" and "The Weakness of Human Nature", and I felt that my speaking skills had really improved a lot. Later, I also studied psychology, and then I realized that speaking has a lot to do with psychology.
At family gatherings, the adults always talk about things that are fascinating. They shared their insights at home and abroad, and talked about their views on the future. At that time, I always listened with relish, as if the door to a new world had been opened. But whenever it comes to their hometown of Shanxi, everyone always sighs. At that time, I always felt that the outside world must be very beautiful, and only by leaving Shanxi could I find true happiness.
In retrospect, it was naïve. But it was those experiences that made me cherish my life even more. I learned that beauty is not unique to a certain place, but depends on our mindset and pursuits.
Hey, having said so much, I actually want to say one thing: it's not easy to talk about it. But as long as we ponder and practice with our hearts, we will always find our own way of speaking.