马友友在一次访谈中说：
“我记得在我15岁的时候，关于我是否要成为一名音乐家，我经历了很多的思考。当然，一直拉大提琴是我所擅长的。而且，随着年龄的增长，我更喜欢音乐，但这并不意味着我更喜欢这个职业。有一天，
我仍然可以看到自己不再是一名专业音乐家。”
“当一块石头落在卡萨尔斯的手上时，他的第一反应是，‘感谢上帝，我再也不用拉大提琴了。’他为演奏乐器付出了代价 —— 所有的旅行，远离家人，不得不忽视音乐之外的迷人之处。你永远不知道是否值得付出这个代价。”
帕布罗﹒卡萨尔斯（Pablo Casals，1876 – 1973），西班牙大提琴家，指挥家，被公认是史上最伟大的大提琴家。小提琴家克莱斯勒认为他是“有史以来最伟大的用琴弓演奏的人”。
成功的和伟大的人物也有见异思迁的时候，也有对他们取得的那些被人们所景仰的成就厌倦的时候，也有像《罗马假日》的公主那种到平凡中去的欲望。不管这是他们想歇一下时的调侃，还是真实的心声吐露，
一个崇拜他们的普通人倒会因此而认真思考一下：一个人的职业之外是不是还有迷人的世界？那个世界究竟是什么样子？
最近和友人讨论到这个问题，下面是我的想法。
1. 如果人需要一个职业来维持生计，这个迷人的世界大概就是换一个更理想，更适合的职业。说这个话的时候，意味着你对你的职业厌倦了，你想摆脱你的职业的缺陷，尝试一个，或寻找一个没有这种缺陷的职业。然而，
世界上没有一个职业是没有缺陷的，这就看你想追求的是什么和你擅长的是什么，你想从职业里得到什么。在强烈好奇心驱使下不断更换自己的职业，只有像达芬奇这样的天才才是有意义的，否则只能被认为是不成熟的表现，
因为绝大多数的普通人并不具有这样做的条件，并且很难承担这样做的后果。
2. 如果你已经不存在对生活资源的顾虑，你可能是一个想花钱买兴趣，买经历的人。对于这种人，买来的兴趣和经历会使人着迷到什么程度，是令人怀疑的，它更多的是使人想象到花天酒地的生活方式。你也可能是另一种人，
想用你的金钱本来改变世界。然而这种人的钱不是从天上掉下来的，是和他的兴趣，才能，事业联系在一起的。他的迷人的世界，是他的兴趣，才能，事业的各个不同的侧面，而不是说来就来的其他一些什么东西。
像卡萨尔斯，马友友这样伟大的音乐家，他们的兴趣和经历远远不是花钱买来的，他们的成就是从兴趣和努力中发端的。和他们已有的建树相比，他们还能到什么地方去获得相似的成就和满足呢？
即使他们的境界已经超脱了名利地位这些东西，他们还可能找到什么样的长远的兴趣和生活的支撑点呢？马友友在哈佛大学念过哲学，他会在哲学的研究中使自己更加满足吗？卡萨尔斯被提名诺贝尔和平奖，
被肯尼迪总统授予总统自由奖章，是因为他以著名音乐家的身份从事有益于世界和平的活动。他能够离开大提琴，离开音乐，专门从事那些社会活动而得到满足吗？他们是不是认为放弃自己的职业追求，
和家人在一起“享受生活”更有意义？或者他们认为人生到了可以放弃自己的追求和成功，回归到一个普通人的普通生活的时候了呢？古今中外，还没有见到哪位伟大的人物在没有外在因素的作用下从自己的事业上主动隐退出去的。
托尔斯泰晚年极大地改变了自己的生活方式，并不意味着他放弃了自己从事一生的事业，生活方式的改变只是他的作家和思想者的职业的进一步深化。我们看到的是，卡萨尔斯直到去世前几个月还在耶路撒冷演出，
马友友至今还在作巡回演出，几周前笔者就在南加州看了一场，文章后面就是这场演出中他演奏的一首曲子。
3. 即使对于一个普通的人，迷人的世界应该是一个人的能力或才能可以得到最好发挥的地方，是一个人的价值所在，而不是舆论所宣扬的那些美好的地方或美好的事情。尽管你去旅游过“人生在死之前必须看的100个地方”，
做过了“人生在死之前必须做的100件事”，如果你的一生中没有感到过和发掘过自己的那些，哪怕是别人认为微不足道的价值，到头来除了那些模模糊糊的虚荣的影子，你的心中可能还是空空的。
门德尔松《无言歌》 马友友演奏
（2023年5月）
English Version ---------------------------
What is the fascinating world outside the profession?
Yo-Yo Ma said in an interview:
“I remember when I was 15, I went through a lot of thinking about whether or not I was going to be a musician. Of course, playing the cello was something I was good at all the time. And,
as I got older, I liked music more, but that doesn’t mean I like the profession any more. One day, I can still see myself no longer being a professional musician.”
“When a stone fell on Casals' hands, his first reaction was, ' Thank God I don't have to play the cello again. ' He paid for playing the instrument. —— all that travelling, away from family,
has to overlook the fascination beyond music. You never know if it's worth the price. "
Pablo .Casals (1876 – 1973), Spanish cellist and conductor, is recognized as the greatest cellist in history. The violinist Fritz .Kreisler considered him "the greatest man who ever played with
a bow".
Successful and great people also have times when they are seeing different things, and when they are tired of the achievements they have been admired by people, and they also have the
desire to go to the ordinary like the princess in "Roman Holiday". Regardless of whether this is a joke when they want to take a break, or a true confession, an ordinary person who
admires them will seriously think about it: Is there a fascinating world besides a person's career? What is that world like?
I recently discussed this issue with a friend, and here are my thoughts.
1. If a person needs a career to make a living, this fascinating world probably needs to change to a more ideal and suitable career. When you say this, it means that you are tired of your
career and you want to get rid of your career's flaws, try one, or find a career without such flaws. However, there is no profession in the world without flaws, it depends on what you
want to pursue and what you are good at, and what you want to get from the profession. Constantly changing careers driven by strong curiosity, only a genius like Da Vinci is meaningful,
otherwise it can only be considered immature, because the vast majority of ordinary people do not have the ability to do so conditions, and it is difficult to bear the consequences of
doing so.
2. If you no longer have concerns about life resources, you may be a person who wants to spend money on hobbies and experiences. For this kind of people, it is doubtful to what extent bought
interests and experiences will fascinate people. It is more about imagining a life of luxury and debauchery. You could also be a different kind of person who wants to change the world with
your money. However, this kind of person's money does not fall from the sky, it is connected with his interests, talents, and career. His fascinating world is the different aspects of his
interests, talents, and career, rather than some other things that just come and go.
For great musicians like Casals and Yo-Yo Ma , their interests and experience are far from being bought with money. Their achievements start from interest and hard work. Where else can
they find similar fulfillment and satisfaction than what they have accomplished ? Even if their realm has transcended such things as fame, wealth and status , what kind of long-term interests
and life support points can they find ? Yo-Yo Ma has studied philosophy at Harvard University. Will he satisfy himself more in the study of philosophy? Casals was nominated for the Nobel
Peace Prize and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Kennedy for his activities as a renowned musician that benefited world peace. Can he be content without the cello,
without music, to devote himself to those social activities? Do they think it makes more sense to give up their professional pursuits and "enjoy life" with their families? Or do they think
it's time in life to give up their pursuit and success and return to the ordinary life of an ordinary person? At all times and in all over the world, we have not seen any great person
who voluntarily retired from his career without the influence of external factors. Tolstoy changed his way of life greatly in his later years, which does not mean that he gave up his life's
work. The change of way of life is only the further deepening of his career as a writer and thinker. What we have seen is that Casals was still performing in Jerusalem a few months before
his death , and Yo-Yo Ma is still music touring . The author saw one in Southern California a few weeks ago, and a piece of music played is attached at the end of this article.
3. Even for an ordinary person, the fascinating world should be the place where one's abilities or talents can be brought into full play, where one's value lies, not those beautiful places
or things promoted by public opinion. Although you have traveled to " 100 Places You Must See Before You Die" and done "100 Things You Must Do Before You Die", if you haven't felt
and discovered yourself in your life , even if It is the value that others think is insignificant. In the end, except for those vague shadows of vanity, your heart may still be empty.
Mendelssohn "Songs without Words", performed by Yo-Yo Ma
(May 2023)