Create incentives to live a better life.

A lady friend lost hope in her husband who turned unloving and violent after suffering from a stroke a few years ago. Before his sickness, he was a good father and husband to the family. Sometimes stroke patients could become a nuisance when they felt that they are no longer have value and respect to society. It takes a lot of patience and determination for their immediate families to overcome this uncontrollable health problem.

In order for me to encourage this sorrowful wife to overcome this matter, I spoke to her with some unexpected questions. Although she was a simple and a typical Chinese housewife, she likes to play the Chinese game of mahjong. I asked her, "Mrs Lim, U love to play mahjong. Isn't it? If you are holding a bad or lousy set of card, would you still try to win or to lose on that game? She replied, "I will try to win, no matter how bad my card is!" With a broad smile I continued with her, "Very good! That was a positive way of thinking. In life is also the same, you might currently be facing a family problem with the unreasonable husband at home. Why can't you try to win to help and assist him to overcome his mental weaknesses?" She was caught without a reply.

From this conversation, I understand most people need to have incentives to live. We like to win rather than to lose in any gambling. The incentives are merely money and rewards. The man chases his lady coz he needs her love. The child learns hard to pass his exam, when his parents would reward his effort. The sales person goes for his sales to fulfill his yearly target and dreams. Even the spiritual guy who has no dream and yet too willingly to give his divine love to the world, still has his incentive. His ultimate goal perhaps is a place in heaven. Whether is right or wrong, it is up to the individual to create his or her own incentives to live for a purposeful lives.

I always remember this quote, "A lousy player with a deck of good card might not win. But a lousy deck of card, holds by a good player might still win."