The key facts
- Nikita Mikhalkov shared three maternal teachings on his 81st birthday via the 'Besogon' Telegram channel
- The lessons include: accepting fate with 'so it must be', seeking the 'why' instead of 'why me', and taking slightly less than what you feel entitled to
- Previously, the director urged Russians to reconsider life values and stop measuring happiness by the quantity of entertainment
Three lessons from Natalia Konchalovskaya
People's Artist of the RSFSR Nikita Mikhalkov, on the occasion of his 81st birthday, spoke about three life truths he learned from his mother, the writer Natalia KonchalovskayaHe shared these memories on his Telegram channel 'Besogon'. According to the director, these teachings helped him learn to accept challenges, find solutions in difficult situations, and not demand more from life than necessary.
'So it must be' and the question 'why'
Mikhalkov identified the first maternal teaching as the phrase 'So it must be': he admitted that he only came to understand its deep meaning years later. The second advice concerned one's attitude toward difficulties: instead of asking God why these hardships befell him, the director suggests reflecting on why they happened. 'Because when we ask 'why me', we look for a cause and someone to blame, but when we ask 'why', we look for a way out,' Mikhalkov explained.
Harmony between desires and possibilities
The third truth that the director remembered throughout his life is: 'Take slightly less than what you feel you are entitled to.' As another important lesson from his mother, he highlighted the pursuit of inner harmony: Natalia Konchalovskaya strove to raise her children so that their desires would not conflict with their actual capabilities. 'And harmony is when what a person wants aligns with what they can do,' the artist sharedMikhalkov also compared raising a child to building immunity against the surrounding world and its dangers: in his view, such protection is established within the family, with its foundation being home, loved ones, and one's native country.
Context of previous statements
Earlier, Life.ru reported that Mikhalkov urged Russians to reconsider their life values and abandon the habit of measuring happiness by the amount of entertainmentIn his opinion, events occurring in the world should make people reflect on truly important matters and support those facing difficult life circumstances. The publication for the anniversary continues this theme: both in it and in his previous statements, the director emphasizes family upbringing and inner resilience as a foundation in challenging times.
