Are you free? Area O2 Contest 11March2017

When i was in my 20s, I had an affair.  A love affair.  I was in love with materials things such as clothes, bags and shoes.  My taste for branded goods ranged from Giordano to Ferangamo.  I used to think, goods like bags, shoes, “a goods life is a good life”.

Shoes are my soft spot – I owned many pairs of shoes in different colors, designs.    Agnes – how many pairs of shoes do you own?  

I love my shoes - when there are scratches on my shoes, my heart is broken.  And I hate it on rainy days – oh my honey, you can’t get wet.  So I took them out and walked barefooted.   I was obsessed with what I possessed.   I treat my possessions like art pieces (put shoes on table) – to display and to admire.

To satisfy my desire for material things, I need money.   So I worked very hard.  I did well and was promoted many times.  Soon, I found myself in another love affair – I was in love with status and achievement.    I drove my team very hard to achieve target after target.  When my team could not meet my expectation, I shouted at them.  I was a slave driver – like PH.  

But I love money, salary and my company. I worked in the same company for more than 20 years.   I was so proud of myself, my achievement and my company until one day…  I was made redundant!    I could not believe it – I worked so hard. It’s unfair.  

I lost my job. I lost my self-esteem, my identity.  

No job, no money but I can’t bear to part with my honey.  So to maintain my extravagant life style, I searched for the highest paid job.  But a lowest paid job caught my attention.   A news report about the lowest paid principal named Lilian Lui (let’s call her Ms Lui).  Ms Lui’s story was made into a movie called “Principal of 5 students”.  Do you know the movie?  Ms Lui used to work in an international kindergarten.  She gave up her prestigious & high paid job in Discovery Bay.  And worked for a dying kindergarten in Yuen Long with only 5 students.  Guess how much she was paid a month?  $45 hundred.  Yes only $4500.  A pair of Ferangamo shoes.

For a few days, I can’t help but kept thinking about Ms. Lui.  I looked at Ms Lui – low pay, simple life style. But (tap chest) full of happiness.  Me - full of material things. But (tap chest) empty.  I reflected and reflected and I realized.   I realized Ms Lui was not attached.    She was not attached to things like money or status.     She was free.   She was free to choose.   To choose the way which best serve the children and her purpose of life.

How has Ms. Lui changed my life?    A lot!   I aspired to be free – free from attachment.   I took my first baby step - extend my career break.  I did many volunteer work.  Slowly, I begin to see value in people - to accept them for who they are, not what they will be.   With some adjustment and after some time, I made more progress. Recently I took on a job that pays only a fraction of what I used to get.  But I am happy, it is a meaningful job – part time in a secondary school.

I also realized material things are meant to be used. (put back shoes)  Not to be obsessed with what we possess.  When I moved to my new house, I furnished it with some new & 2nd hand furniture.   New or 2nd hand, branded or not – it does not matter – as long as it serves my purpose.  

Now I’ve ended all my love affairs.  I’m not attached, I’m free.

Ladies & Gentlemen, take a look at yourself – are you attached to material things, money or status?
Are you free?