I learned kindness & humbleness from the poor.

Rinnie is a single mother to a six years young daughter. Under pressure as her tutorial class isn't doing well lately, she wonder whether to send her child to the private school next year. She is currently residing in the upper class neighbourhood where all children are studying in the so called elite schools around the area. However she knew the educational fees aren't cheap, and she is financially tight at the moment.

I related my personal experience of raising my own three sons. When my two elders kids were young, i wasn't selling insurance yet. As a wage earner, i had never dreamt to send my sons to the private school, because i knew i just could not afford it. From standard one right up till form five, they were studying eleven full years with our National Government Schools, which was free in educational fee. Most of the children were from the middle and lower income families. I could remember those days, how my two boys could see their classmates suffering without breakfast and yet had to attend classes with empty stomach. They learned to share food with their friends. They were much luckier because they had food first before going to school. Their mum would pack for them breads and a bottle of juice each while studying. We were not rich either, but at least they were a bit better than most of the other students. Finally when they had a chance to study abroad thirteen years later, they had developed the right attitude of mind to be kind, humble, responsible, willing to help and was never selfish.

My third son was nine years younger than his elder brother. When he was born , i took up selling life insurance, which gave me a chance to improve my earning. Later when he started to go to school, i made a mistake by sending him to the private school. All the students from his school were from extremely rich families with status. Without us realising, he was learning to compare the best of everything. The children were chauffeured driven and came with bodyguards and maids. Their bags and clothing were branded, and the pockets were always loaded too. By the time he was fifteen, he had developed an inferior complex with a negative mind. It took me years later to change his character and behaviour. Though i had spend much on him in the private school, it did not help to build his character as i expected. As a student he is intelligence but i prefer a son who should be kind and humble rather than boastful and irresponsible. I had learned my lesson the hard way.

With my story being told, Rinnie was convinced and enlightened. She said, "I will send my daughter to the Government school to learn the truth of life when she is still young."

Food for thought - “A mature person is one who is does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably”
Eleanor Roosevelt quotes.