Harry Potter's Mother：The Benifits from Failures

◎Written by J.K.Rowling[Britain]●compiler/IvoryDog

Youth Digests·Color version“Employment Section”NO.8 in 2008

I'am 42-year-old now.When I think of my gratuating from college in 21,I find that it's not pleasant,since I was struggling between my own pursuit and my relatives' expectations.

I trusted one thing:All I want to do is writing.But my parents came from poor families,they want me to learn some practical skills in stead of British literature.Eventually,we made a bilateral-unsatisfied compromise:I major in foreign language.However,as soon as my parents left,I signed up Classical Literature.

I've forgotten how did I tell them about this.Maybe it was on the commencement that they found it.On this planet,they could hardly find a more useless course than Greek Literature.

I want to make it clear that I didn't complain about their opinions.They want me to shake off poverty,which can cause horror,pressure and even dispression.All of these indicates narrow-hearted,inferiority and many other hardships.It is really a pride to shake off poverty by yourself.Only the fool spread themselves.

Only 7 years later after my graduation,I suffered from a big failure.I ended up with a short marriage and my job.I was a single mother,what's more,Britain was a modernised country.You can imagine how poor I was to any extent as you like.The worries my parents and I concerned all became true.This was my greatest failure for any aspects.

I'm not standing here to tell you that "failure" is enjoyable.Then why I still talk about the benefits from failure?Because from failure I found myself.I started to put all my energies on what I concerned about.If I was successful on other fields,I might have not set up my mind on what I interested in.Calmness followed as I've been through the biggest horror.Furthermore,I still alive and I have a daughter who deserves my prides.A old printer and a pretty good writing inspiration also accompany me.I started to build my new life on the stone-base that made of failures.(Editor:Later,J.K Rowling wrote world-fashionable series Harry Potter.)

Failures give me interior peace that can't be gained through plain sailing.Failures help me to know myself that can't be gaind through other things.I found myself has a strong will,what's more,I can control myself better than I expected.At the same time,I've realised that I own friends that are more precious than rubies. 

You can only know yourself well through hardships and you can also only know how close you and your friends are through hardships.These are the real gifts the failures offer you.

(The artical is a part of the speaking presented by Harry Potter's author----J.K.Rowling on Harvard University's commencement in 2008）