With KJ

We arranged to meet up. When he turned up, I felt rather under-dressed (although I am already in a neat polo-tee and jeans). Ha.. How he has grown and matured.

He has just ORD-ed and is now working in sales line. Looking at the "gears" he had brought along, I would have guessed his intention. At the back of my mind, I imagined that in the midst of the meeting / dining, when the conversation started to get a little thin, he would proceed and say, "Sir, actually another reason why I ask you out is to share with you... blah blah blah… ". My imagination was so right. Haha.. Because he is certainly not the first and this is such a common "strategy".

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind such approach at all. I enjoyed the meeting up anyway and the dinner was good. The inevitable sales-talk was just an extra to me. I wouldn't let it spoilt our mood, albeit that may be his sole reason at that moment. Oh well.

Frankly, even before KJ began his sales talk. I had already concluded that I would want to support him in one way or another. It wasn't that I have that much spare cash or because he was once my *little pal or he is so convincing about his products or any super salesman's charisma he has possessed. The facts remain that his products are so expensive, I don't really need the products, I don't feel obliged to buy them and my presence made him a little nervous while he was presenting to me, actually.

In our sharing before his sales-talk, I learnt that..

(1) This young man most likely may not be entering the university this year, although a place had already been reserved for him two years ago.

(2) He is the eldest son and he has a younger sister going to poly this year. His father passed away quite many years ago and his mother has all the while been the sole breadwinner of the family. But his mother was down with mental illness last year and the main income source for the family had since "stopped". With the medical expenses coming in, the family saving is only getting worrisomely low each day.

(3) While he was in the army, at least the few hundreds allowance can let him get by. Now that he has ORD-ed, it also means the allowance has stopped totally. How about the school fees for his younger sister's poly education?

(4) His intention is to work first, save up and constantly keeping the goal of an university education in mind.

(5) This young man is taking all these pretty bravely. He viewed it as "not too bad" and would like to see it as "environment forcing him to grow". He can still project a rather cheerful self. By just looking at him, we wouldn’t have known he is shouldering such heavy responsibility.

What are most of the 21-year-old people thinking/doing/planning at this stage in life? For almost all (if not all) the 21-year-olds (me included, once upon a time), I think their life are still very much protected and well provided for. But this young man is already shouldering the responsibility as the "head" of the family.

I am only thinking how much more can I do?
He has many uncles and aunts that he is rather closed to. I dearly hope that would provide some form of support to him.

或许...
会懂得感恩的人，在什么环境低下，都会存着一颗感恩的心来面对一切。
时常会埋怨的人，无论到了什么地方，都会看到他想埋怨的人、事、物。

总之...
他的振作，给了我一种震撼。
他的不弃，也叫人十分鼓舞。

~ ~ Light House ~ ~
I see light. I see hope.
May You be Blessed.

与他的接触便是今日一悟。