Reading journal –The Gay Genius
20180104 Chapter 27 Outside China
My thoughts
感觉越是接近结尾，越是读起来显得凄凉。尽管苏东坡还是乐观向上地对待生活，林语堂先生也在其中穿插一些逸闻趣事，但看着苏东坡年过半百被卷入政治斗争，居无定所，食不果腹，想想真是太心酸了。都说他豁达，纵观其一生，坎坷起伏，不豁达恐怕也挨不下来。
最感动的是尽管生活的物质条件十分恶劣，他还是打心眼里想跟人亲近，愿意结交周围的人，听他们的故事。我想正是因为他心中有他人，主动寻求了别人的关注，和他们建立起情感联系，才不至于觉得这世界待他太绝情，才能感受到温暖。存在感和爱一样，很多时候不是别人给的，而是要自己争取的。
反观我自己，总是把自己的时间安排得满满当当的，缺少和周围人事的深层次相处，一直停留在很浅层的点头问好开玩笑，没有像苏东坡一样真正地想去关心、了解他人、走进他人的生活，所以难免觉得很多事不那么温暖。看来需要先反省一下自己的态度了。哈哈。
Words and expressions
1.foward （熟词生义）
原文：He had two wonderful freinds, one Ho Tehshun, a Taoist at Canton who forwarded all mail for him...
释义：v. to send letters, goods erc. to someone when they have moved to a different address
造句：Would you make sure that you forward my package promptly?
2. trying （熟词生义）
原文：The summer months in the tropical island were trying on account of the dampness.
释义：adj. annoying or difficult in a way that makes you feel worried, tired etc
造句：Not being able to manage my time is rather trying sometimes.
3.take the floor
原文：During conversations he usually took the floor.
释义：to begin speaking at an important public meeting
造句：The predident then took the floor.
4.contend
原文：The natives, Kuo contended, were good, honest people, and they were driven to taking the law into their own hands only because the Chinese courts not render them justice.
释义：v. to argue or state that something is true.
造句：We all contended that the situation may be more serious than previously thought.