A great novel is one that changes the reader, that leaves him different after the last page.

人们自己创造自己的历史，但是他们并不是随心所欲地创造，并不是在他们自己选定的条件下创造，而是在直接碰到的、既定的、从过去承继下来的条件下创造。

解读：社交媒体常呈现他人光鲜亮丽一面，实则是片面展示，别盲目艳羡，专注经营自身生活，演绎独属于自己的精彩，莫被他人虚幻表象干扰。

In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.

所以，天地不夸耀自己的明亮，大水不夸耀自己的清澈，大火不夸耀自己的炎烈，有德之君不夸耀自己德行的高远，这样才能做众人的领袖。 

I'm just trying to be the best I can be.

I can't predict the future, but I can create it.