of Being rich

It was my boys that helped me conceptualized the meaning of being rich. I always had a one dimension view of being rich.

My first encounter with richness was when I attended my primary 1 (grade 1) friend's birthday bash. His parents were millionaires. He was chauffeured in a hugh Lincoln car. Those days the "normal" man uses Austins.

His driver came and picked me up from home. When we reached his home - bungalow of course - we were ushered into a corner together with other kids. We were given party packs of goodies and some toys. Dinner was party plates of tidbits from the table. The adults were gathered in the hall. Of the roast pork, I vividly remember each of us just getting a piece of the skin!! Perhaps this explains my strong affinity towards roast pork - reaction to my childhood denial!

We are all just onlookers. My classmate opened his presents. For me then, those toys only happen in dreams. He was telling us that the coming holiday he will be off to Hong Kong and would like one or two to join him........

I never realized how deep an impression it made in me. After the "discovery" that the word "rich" is meaningless by itself, I must say I find that incident bitter sweet.

I have now a very simplistic definition of rich - having lots of ....... something.
If it is money, then we are money rich. If it is rice, then it is rice rich or friends rich or time rich or health rich and so on.

I thank God for my wife making me companion rich, my boys making me ego rich (!!), my job making me "frustration" rich, my New Balance 768 jogging rich, the homecell members for making us friends rich

In a sense nowadays I have less tendency to desire to change my HiFi toys, Car, camera and tools. But it does not mean I do not yearn for them. I find myself more pinning for time. Time for the boys, for my wife, for myself.

Often I used to be assailed by the concern on being adequate for my retirement. Now I am coming to realised the need to enjoy the richness I have daily. Soon, I will be donning the NB768. The joy of being able to have time, health and energy to jog! I believe that the boys will be coming along too - one on his NB 767 and the other on his 20 inch bicycle. And sorry darling wife, I will be late for dinner!

Time

At the eve of Chinese New Year, here sitting at the office and staring at the hot noon day, it is hard to concentrate on work! My mind is already planning for activities next week. Definitely want to go back to the river. One of the joys is to to sit in a cold running river sipping hot coffee!

Growing beyond 50 has made me more aware of time and moments. Many things that were important before seem not so any longer.

In many ways I felt the need to blog simply as a way to track my journey into the twilight years of my life. And so I begin my journey of a 1,000 miles .....