Le Conseil de Dostoïevski pour les Dépressifs

"To marvel at nothing is much more foolish than to marvel at everything." Dostoevsky I'll tell you a story: On a vast estate with sumptuous gardens, Élie, a professional gardener, worked for the Lebrant family, immensely wealthy and often absent. Yet, beneath the neat exterior of the precisely trimmed rosebushes and shrubs he tended, Élie hid a deep anger and a tenacious jealousy. Every cut, every snip of the pruning shears bore the mark of his deep resentment. Day after day, he watched the Lebrants, elegantly dressed, savoring refined dishes under the large, century-old oak tree. Covered in sweat and dirt, Élie gritted his teeth. "Why them? Why not me?" This thought, fleeting at first, crept into him until it became a constant, corrosive whisper. He indulged in dark scenarios: spreading salt to wither the flowerbeds, breaking the serene-looking marble statues. His thoughts, which he nurtured like weeds, began to eat away at his being. His gaze became shifty, his tone harsher. Sometimes, a frightening thought crossed his mind: what would happen if he used his tools differently? The Lebrants noticed this change. They stopped the few courtesies they extended to him; they became suspicious. Convinced that they despised him, Élie withdrew into himself, trapped in a vicious circle. The more he believed himself rejected, the more his resentment grew; and the more his resentment grew, the more suspicious his behavior became, thus reinforcing the Lebrants' rejection. Until the day the irreparable was committed. Innocent people lost their lives. Yet, the story could have been quite different... All it would have taken was for Elie to change his outlook. That morning, if he had remembered his grandfather's words: "Life is like a rosebush. Focus on the thorns, and you will forget the beauty of the flowers." That day, Elie could have chosen hope. Perhaps he would never have the wealth of the Lebrants, but he could have cultivated something else: hope. As the weeks passed, he would have tended the gardens with a new devotion, finding beauty in every bud. His discreet smile would have reappeared, illuminating his face. Little by little, his attitude would have attracted the Lebrants' attention. Perhaps they would have invited him to share a cup of tea. He would have learned from them their way of standing, of speaking, and would have enjoyed thinking that he was part of this magnificent garden, a place that distanced him from the misery he had known elsewhere. And in this space, Elijah would have found his place. He might even have been greatly appreciated. But he had chosen to listen to the voice of reason, the one that listed, with supporting evidence, all the justifications for his hatred, rather than imagining a brighter scenario, a more promising future, or even the possibility of finding his place among them. 📖 Link to my book - Chaton: FR 👉 https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0DS19FR77 If you live abroad, you can simply search for Chaton MLH Orion to find the book. This video is not monetized, so please consider supporting me ❤️: https://ko-fi.com/mlhorion Link to my website 🌐: https://www.mlhorion.com/ Mailing list subscription 📩: https://forms.gle/Bq9ohH8ZHN8xg1219 🎥 If you found this video helpful, please like, subscribe, and activate the bell so you don't miss my next videos on psychology, philosophy, or literature. Thanks for watching, and see you soon! 😊🔔 Chapters: 4:30 The Trap of Reason 8:40 Consciousness 12:04 Awakening 16:46 Contact Me Paintings: Crimean War - Germain Leopold Tabar Franco-Prussian War - Alphonse de Neuville The Cheat - George de la Tour The Lie - Salvator Rosa You can contact me on Instagram or by email. If my content inspires or pleases you, please support me on Ko-fi! ❤️ https://ko-fi.com/mlhorion 🎥 Leave a comment to share your thoughts. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe for other videos about philosophy, literature, and psychology. #philosophy #dostoyevsky #book