Split Second Decision

My barber is a very chatty person. Last Saturday, while cutting my hair, he talked about the news in the local paper about five ladies being killed instantly along Lahad Datu - Semporna Highway while trying to overtake a trailer. Apparently after the driver moved her car from the left lane to overtake the trailer and probably midway in the overtaking, a truck from the opposite direction approached head-on to her pickup. Based on the news, she then tried to accelerate but couldn't make it. In that split second, the driver decided to move to the the other side of the road shoulder to avoid the collision. Somehow, it was too late, her pickup rammed into the truck. All five ladies died instantly.

Today, another piece of news. One kidnapper of a 10-year old kid discovered he was surrounded by the police. To avoid capture, his split second decision was to jump down from the 14th floor. The obvious consequence - Death.

In life, we come across many instances when we have to make split second decisions. Let pray that we have the split second wisdom to make the right split second decision.

Treat People with Dignity

Last Friday, I went to Labuan to conduct the 1st Site Meeting for the Oxygen Generation Plant Project in the HBI Plant which we are doing for a Client. This Client also owns SFI, the Sabah Forest Industries.

We have done a number of small projects for SFI. But for the HBI, this is the 1st project. In my mind, I always assumed that the reason that we were selected to bid for the Oxygen Plant was probably due to some kind fellows in SFI who had introduced us to them.

Finally, the chap in HBI told me how we were introduced. Not by SFI but through two persons who had worked in our firm. One a university student who had a short training in our firm. The other is an Engineer who had worked in our office for a number of years. Both had good words for us and recommended strongly to the HBI staff who had a hand in the selection of consultants.

Well, it should always be a life policy not to say harsh words to any of your staff even though they are truly useless or lousy. Be reminded to have no ill feeling when they leave your company.

I remember I used to have an engineer whom the contractor told me that he demanded favour in the form of money. I didn't confront him or fire him but decided to improve the procedure to minimise the chance of graft. Believe it or not, he is now with a government department who is our client of one of our projects. Well, if I had fired him or spoken harshly against him, you can imagine the disaster we would be facing now.

Another old case. One of my draftsgirls told me she had been harassed by another male colleague. I could have fired him but that could be disastrous because there is a possibility of us being sued for wrongful termination. So, I called him and in a very rational and gentle tone told him. "You have been accused of sexual harassment and if you are reported to the Labour Department, your future will be ruined. The best is for you to resign voluntarily so that this issue will not be pursued by her". In the end, he resigned. He still has his dignity and his reputation is not blemished. Whenever we meet, we are still friends.

No Malice: Quality of a Child

This morning in my Year 5 Peace Praise Kids Class, we were discussing about temptation and external influences.

In my class, I have these 2 boys who are the hyperactive type and who practically never stop talking. One of them is called Joshua. When talking about the subject of external factors that would influence their lives, these are some of their answers: TV, TV games, computer games. Then I said, "How about people? Don't people influence you?". To kill 2 birds with one stone, I added, "Don't you think that Joshua is a bad influence?". They all turned to him and laughed. Then, he became quiet for awhile and said, "Teacher, are you insulting me?". I had a good laugh.

The good thing about kids which I always enjoy dealing with is that they have no malice. Yes, no malice. They speak and respond exactly the way they feel. I am very sure this Joshua would have no ill feeling against me.

Unlike adults, on the surface, they smile as if nothing has happened. But deep down, they harbour grudges and wait for the day to level with you.

Well, I think that's why Jesus said that for you to enter heaven, you have to be like a child.

The Passing of a Pope

The news finally came this Sunday morning, Pope John Paul II has passed away at 9.37pm Saturday night local time at his Vatican apartment. This is indeed a passing of a giant of 1.1 million  Catholics.

Even though I am not a catholic, I still consider Pope John Paul II had lived a life of great significance and that his life had undoubtedly impacted a lot of people. I only discovered in the latest news that he was made a Pope in October 1978, the same month and year I was married some 26 years ago.

CNN captioned him as an Extraordinary Pope. Imagine, he had traveled to 100 over countries throughout his papacy. That is indeed an achievement! He traveled to be with his faithful; to lend support to the poor and downtrodden; to extend his hand of reconciliation; to express regret and to ask for forgiveness for the sins committed by the Catholics forefathers in the past.....

One of the things I found uncomfortable previously was the great number of people he canonized. In fact, it was said that he canonized more people than all the previous popes combined. I used to think, "Is it scriptural for a mortal man to declare another person saint? Isn't that for God to decide?". Today at CNN, it was clarified by someone who knew Pope John Paul II quite well that his purpose of canonizing so many people was to identify models for people to emulate. Men and women who had suffered during trying times would be good examples for people to look up to and emulate.

For that, credit should be given to him. I do agree that there is indeed a great need for people of exemplary characters to be identified in this greatly compromised world. Don't you agree that this kind of people is truly a rare specie nowadays!