There is no melancholy master-of-arms

There is no melancholy master-of-arms. Alfred de Musset

Alfred de Musset was a French writer of the Romantic period, born on 11 December 1810 in Paris, where he died on 2 May 1857.

Anyone who seeks to excel and become the best in any field, be it fencing or poetry for example, has no time to lament his fate or become melancholy. Hard work brings joy and satisfaction even in the twilight of one’s life. Therefore, someone who lives life to the full and faces danger as the master of arms does, cannot at the same time cultivate a sad soul.

Discipline and passionate work make it possible to overcome the dark borders of our feelings. The obsession with work well done lifts us up and gives us a joy that goes far beyond our own being. We can become role models and show others a path to greater personal fulfilment.

When we build our lives around the acquisition of talents and values and not material things, we can be sure to escape a melancholy life. Of course, if one becomes an expert and recognised in a field, material satisfaction is there. Thus, what Alfred de Musset tells us is to think of one’s life in such a way as to build a higher self that can guarantee a happy life. Bliss lies in being and not in having.