Recently, I met my Uncle from China for the first time. He is a retired school principal in China, and had never stepped out of China until a few weeks. I never had the opportunity to meet him, even though I have traveled to China many times, I did not visit my ancestral hometown.
Surprisingly, I felt quite comfortable with him (may be because he looked like my father) and I had a good chat with him. At a certain point, he was lamenting that he was a useless principal, because as a civil servant in the communist China, he did not earn a lot of money. He said that he might never have the opportunity to come to Singapore again.
Admittedly, I felt sad and kept thinking about his words. Despite my short interaction with my Uncle, he is actually very observant, quite smart and knowledgeable (well, he was a school principal). He was just a bit unlucky in life - Born in China when China was in a mess, the famine, the cultural revolution etc..., his youth was wasted.
On the other hand, I am just lucky to be born in Singapore in the right time. I am given better opportunities in life. I am able to travel the world. I can choose to live in other countries. I am quite mobile.
I am slight luckier in the "lottery of life"
(Singapore was placed number 6 in the world).
I am aware and grateful about it.
I am also aware that it is my responsibility to help those who are not as lucky.
(Taken in Eastern Tibet, 2005)
