In order to tell what I believe, I must bring up something from my personal history.
The turning point of my life was my decision to give up my promising business job and study music. My parents didn't think it was a good choice I took up music as a job. Considering my family background, this was understandable. My grandfather had taught music for forty years at Spring Hill College. Although he was much loved by his students, he didn't earn(挣钱) enough to provide for his large family. As a result of this example in the family, my parents strongly asked me to the college instead of a music school, and so to college I went.
Before my graduation from Columbia, the family ran into some money problems and I felt it was my duty to leave college and find a job. That was why I took a business job, which I always think of as the wasted years. I went into it for money, for being able to help the family. Money is all I got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. I became very sad.
My wish was to save enough money to quit(退出) and go to Europe to study music. I continued to make money, and finally, little by little, I saved enough to go abroad.
At that time, my family got out of the trouble. ____________, and so I gave up my position and sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than I had ever dreamed of working before, and enjoyed every minute of it.
"Enjoyed" is too soft a word. I walked on air. I really lived. When I broke away from business, it was against the advice of all my friends and family, but if I had stayed in business, I do not believe I would have made a success of living.
Money is a wonderful thing, but now I know that it is possible to pay too high a price for it.
