Leo Tolstoy–The Legend, Extraordinaire

I am sure there is hardly anyone, who would not know the legend; Leo Tolstoy. A great Russian writer, political thinker and philosopher who etched his writings forever in the minds and hearts of people in the form of novels, short stories, plays and essays. His writings have always enchanted people of all age groups. September 9, on his birth anniversary, I would like to recollect some memories in dedication to who I call my inspiration, a born star who will forever remain.

 

Top 5 Quotations by Leo Tolstoy that Made an Everlasting Impression

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself”
Leo Tolstoy, lived since 1852-1910, but his sayings still fit in the 21st century. If only you could change yourself little by little, can you make a huge difference. However, people are habitual of finding faults in others and either mocking at them or trying to correct them. Instead, you must introspect everyday and see what all drawbacks and shortcomings you possess and work towards amending them. This would result in a constructive transformation, in the long run.

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”
I have always been a big fan of Leo Tolstoy and most of his writing appealed to me exuberantly and that feeling is inexplicable. ‘Patience’ and ‘Time’; the two most heard of words and the two attributes that’s hard to find these days. The race is on and in this constant chase of materialism, we are not realizing that the time is slipping like sand. The day to day struggle is making us impatient and irritant on small things. The level of tolerance is subjugating. What’s important is to take out time for the things you love, the things that bring you joy and everything else will fall in place.

“If you want to be happy, be”
How true! This simple yet magnificent line holds a deeper meaning in my life. I’m not sure if everybody can relate to it, but trust me it works. It REALLY works! If you want to be happy then no one can stop you. In fact, you can be anything for that matter, if you desire for it from the core of our heart. No situation, object (living or dead) can stop you from achieving it.

“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love”
Love is the most beautiful feeling. It spreads joy, warmth and touches your heart in a magnanimous way. You accept certain things in your life, spend time in absorbing them only because you feel for them. Things that do not hold importance or are obscure do not take a fraction of your time. So, it’s love that keeps you going.

“We lost because we told ourselves we lost”
It’s often said and heard that if you believe in yourself, you can win the laurels. To be a winner you have to believe that you are one. And, as stated in this quote by Tolstoy, only if you convince yourself that you have lost, you would actually lose. So, keep your head held high and do your best with all the hope and determination.

For all those who wish to read some of his great works, here are some:

Top 5 Literary Works by Leo Tolstoy
1. War and Peace
2. Anna Karenina
3. A Confession
4. The Kingdom of God Is Within You
5. Resurrection

I am definitely going to read more of Tolstoy soon and with this piece of writing, all I wish is to inspire a few to instigate reading of the magnum opus. Of all those who read through this blog post, only if I could instill this urge in a single being, I would believe that I did my bit.