上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。
居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不爭，故無尤。
(老 子「道 德 經」 : 第 八 章)
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Friday, 26 November 2010
A Story of Appreciation
This is a powerful message in our modern societies where many of us seem to have lost our sense of direction and values.
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Sunday, 14 November 2010
深圳博物館
一個人不多, 寧靜的博物館。
如不是有一個關於兵馬俑的特別展覽, 我也未必會留意到這一個地方。雖然是星期六及免費開放, 但人不多。博物館的新翼位於褔田區,座落於市人民中心的旁邊。地方很大, 有三層,主要是介紹深圳的歷史,偶然一些展區都有提到香港的歷史。
相比起香港的歷史博物館, 深圳的展區設計跟香港的十分相似。但深圳博物館實在是大得多, 內容十分豐富, 展區內的模型製作得十分精美。半日是不足以走完所有展區。
如不是有一個關於兵馬俑的特別展覽, 我也未必會留意到這一個地方。雖然是星期六及免費開放, 但人不多。博物館的新翼位於褔田區,座落於市人民中心的旁邊。地方很大, 有三層,主要是介紹深圳的歷史,偶然一些展區都有提到香港的歷史。
相比起香港的歷史博物館, 深圳的展區設計跟香港的十分相似。但深圳博物館實在是大得多, 內容十分豐富, 展區內的模型製作得十分精美。半日是不足以走完所有展區。
More at http://www.shenzhenmuseum.com.cn/
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
婚禮攝影
第一次幫忙拍攝, 比我想像中辛苦。由早到晚, 淨是叫 “1 2 3”, 已叫到冇氣。
回家執相,才發現到一些平時不會遇到的事情。如有些人經常眨眼、大家望鏡頭的方向不一致、我與另外一位攝影師的企位安排等。
另外, 攪氣氛及安排影相的次序也十分重要。由於缺乏經驗, 情況有一點兒混亂。年長的, 比較怕面對鏡頭。如想拍一些snapshot, 他們十分自然會避開鏡頭,所以經常拍到他們古怪的表情!
婚禮攝影真的是一門很難的學問, 需要經驗累積。雖然過程辛苦疲慮, 但今次是一個好好的經驗, 我還有點兒愛上它呢!
回家執相,才發現到一些平時不會遇到的事情。如有些人經常眨眼、大家望鏡頭的方向不一致、我與另外一位攝影師的企位安排等。
另外, 攪氣氛及安排影相的次序也十分重要。由於缺乏經驗, 情況有一點兒混亂。年長的, 比較怕面對鏡頭。如想拍一些snapshot, 他們十分自然會避開鏡頭,所以經常拍到他們古怪的表情!
婚禮攝影真的是一門很難的學問, 需要經驗累積。雖然過程辛苦疲慮, 但今次是一個好好的經驗, 我還有點兒愛上它呢!
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