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I was born
I was born in the great country of the Soviet Union—which occupied one-sixth of the Earth's landmass and spanned an area of 22,402,200 square kilometers—in a tiny village sheltered at the foot of the Ural Mountains, with a population of no more than two hundred souls. Gazing at the horizons drawn beyond the dark forests that enveloped my village, I would immerse myself in thoughts drifting across that infinity. It felt as though the grand cities and mysterious countries of the universe hid profound secrets that my small world could never even reach out to touch. Later, stumbling and picking myself up, I traveled the world, and I, too, received my share of life's beauty.
It was precisely then that I reached a surprising conclusion: the big world was no larger than my village in any way. Every virtuous deed and the secrets of human nature had unfolded right before my eyes—in my very own backyard. My village was not isolated from the world; rather, it was a small, perfect model of it, a reflection (a microcosm) of the entire human experience.
Looking at the world through the lens of a small, remote village filters out the unnecessary noise and chaos. It forces us to understand human nature deeply. Whether you grew up in a vast megacity or in a tiny place that cannot even be found on a map, you will surely recognize the people on these pages.
I hope that as you read about my life in this small corner of Russia, you will see a reflection of your own world as well. No matter where we travel, and no matter how complex society may seem, the fundamental truths of life, of human connections, and of survival remain beautiful and simple. Masguda
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