A Book That Changed the Way I Think

I have read many books in my life that have changed the way I think. One that comes to mind is ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND by Shunryu Suzuki. It is a collection of essays about Zen Buddhism, and there is one quote that has always stayed with me. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." It reminds me that I should always be open to learning new things, and I should never assume that I know everything. This is also true in language learning. Sometimes we get caught up in the pursuit of perfection and we realize that imperfection can also lead to understanding. When speaking another language, we don't need to be perfect to be understood. And we shouldn't be afraid to communicate just because our ability is less than perfect. You don't need to be an expert to begin speaking a foreign language. As a Japanese friend said recently, "No one is waiting for my perfect English." And it's true. People are less interested in perfect langauge as they are in the thoughts behing them. If you have something important to say, not matter how imperfect your language is, you will be understood. So don't let the pursuit of perfection stop you from speaking that forgeign language today. Give it a try! I am always here to listen if you need someone to practice with.

English	Native
French	Daily conversation
Japanese	Daily conversation
Spanish	Just a few words
German	Just a few words

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