One day I read an article in China Daily - "A life dedicated to writing", which said that Li Jian, who was born in a rural area of Shaanxi Province, got most of his reading and writing skills in the barracks because of his poor family when he was young. After retiring from the army, he returned to life as a farmer and began to write, telling the history of the village and the memories of a veteran. It's a pity that his first two books have only been in limited numbers and not outside his own village.

In order to make a living, he had to go out to work. Born in 1964, he is over fifty years old, but he still insists on writing. Hiding in a simple rental house, he never complained, kind to people, and spent all his spare time writing without any bad hobbies. His hope is that through his works, the poor will understand the hardships felt by migrant workers, and the rich will know that migrant workers are also hardworking and cultured.

After reading this article, my heart was very restless, and my mind is weighed down. In this migrant worker, I saw my something of my own. In the midst of difficulties and hardships, one was not willing to be content with the status quo, thrived and practiced hard like an ascetic monk. He is four years older than me. Even though he has passed the age of knowing his destiny, he still keeps trying to realize his dream. This spirit alone deserves our praise and respect.

Every unhappy life has its own misfortune. It is this kind of hardship that compels people with lofty ideals to constantly strive for self-improvement. I also have a strong interest in English and writing, and so far I have been working hard to realize my dream. From Lao Li, I seem to see my predicament and helplessness in those years, which makes me more rational and pragmatic, and also makes me see a more successful way.

1.Never complain. Lao Li just doesn't complain. A person can choose everything, but he can't choose his own origin. It is futile to lament the unfairness of fate and God's trick on people. We can only accept the reality, recognize the reality, and then seriously consider how to change the status quo.

2.Don't abandon yourself. The final result of complaining is self abandonment. If you complain about others and cannot change, you can only abandon yourself. All day long, you looked sad and sighed, and you had no confidence and hope in life and the future, resulting in passing the day like a year, or ending one’s life early. If you don't complain and you won't abandon yourself. If you don't bow to your destiny, you will stand up and fight against it.

3.Bow to life and don't persist in willfully and arbitrarily. Hobbies and interests are important, but in order to survive, we must bow to life and even give up our hobbies and interests for the time being. Writing is very important, and what is more important is to first change the lives of yourself and your family. Otherwise, the hobbies and interests trapped in life can only be a few bitter fruits on the tree.

4.Work hard as soon as possible. At the latest, a person should see himself, his family and the road he wants to take when he is an adult. Sunset is infinite beauty except impending of dusk. It is not to deny one's efforts in old age, but to say that some efforts have been difficult to change the status quo in such age.

I admire Lao Li's spirit and have a feeling of empathy, because I see my own shadow in him. But I would rather see an old Li who tried every means to change his life when he was young. He wrote books occasionally in his spare time, and his mind was more about how to live better. Writing was just a pastime rather than persistence.

我在《中国日报》上看到了一篇文章——“A life dedicated to writing”，说的是出生陕西农村的李健，由于幼时家境贫寒几乎没有上过学，在兵营里学会了读书识字。复员后，他又回到了农村，便开始写作，讲述村子里的历史，讲述一个老兵的回忆。可惜这两本书都没有销路，几乎连他生活的村子都没有跨越。

为了生活，他只得外出打工，生于1964年，已经年过半百的他，可依然坚持着自己的写作。躲在简陋的出租屋内，没有抱怨，与人和善，把业务时间全部用在了写作上，没有丝毫不良的嗜好。他的希望是，通过他的作品，让穷人懂得农民工的艰辛，让富人知道农民工也是勤劳有文化的。

看到这篇文章，我的内心很是不能平静，转而也是心情沉重的。在这个农民工的身上，我看到了自己的影子，在艰难困苦中，不甘于现状，节衣缩食，如苦行僧般努力修行。他长我四岁，即使过了知天命之年，还在不停努力实现自己的梦想。单就这种精神，他就值得我们称赞和尊敬。

不幸的生活各有各的不幸，正是这种困苦和艰难逼着一个个有志之士自强不息。我同样对英语和写作有着浓厚的兴趣，迄今还在不停地努力实现着自己的梦想，从老李身上，我似乎看到了自己当年的那种窘境和无奈，使自己变得更加理智和务实，也使自己看到了更为成功的一条路。

一、不抱怨。老李就是不抱怨，一个人可以选择一切，但不能选择自己的出身。哀叹命运的不公和上天的捉弄人，这都是徒劳的。我们只能接受现实，认清现实，然后认真思考如何改变现状。

二、不自弃。抱怨的最终结果就是自弃，怨天尤人而又无力改变，只能是自暴自弃了。整日里愁闷苦脸，唉声叹气，对人生对未来都没有了信心和希望，不是行尸走肉，度日如年，就是早早结束了自己的性命。不抱怨就不会自弃，不向命运低头，才会起来与命运抗争。

三、向生活低头，不能一意孤行。爱好兴趣固然重要，但为了生活必须向生活低头，甚至暂时放弃自己的爱好和兴趣。写作很重要，更为重要的是首先要改变自己和家人的生活，否则，困于生活的爱好和兴趣只能是树上结下的几个青涩的苦果。

四、努力要趁早。一个人最晚也应在成年时就看清自己，看清家庭的状况，看清自己要走的路。夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。不是否定一个人年老时的努力，而是说，有些努力已很难改变现状了。

我敬佩老李的这种精神，也有一种惺惺相惜的感觉，因为在他的身上我看到了自己的影子。但我更愿看到这样的一个老李：年轻之时就想方设法改变自己的生活，在业余时间偶尔写写书，脑子里想的更多的是如何生活得好一些，写作只是一种消遣而不是一种执着。

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