Callous Remark

A callous remark made by someone in the class set me thinking about how insensitive or just unrealistic some of our students are.
There is no denial there all of us know that there are unfortunate people out there. But knowing it and understanding it are two different matters.
There are people who tried hard to eke a living, there are some who lives with a silver spoon in the mouth. There are people who don't have to make a choice between wants and needs because it will always be the latter while others spent their time deliberating over really minor wants.

I once have a friend who came to NUS to study on a scholarship. From a small little town in M'sian he came, and the scholarship could not really substain him for Uni education in terms of fees and living. He once told me that there came a point in time when all the money he has left was $2 in his pocket and he stood at the foodstall, deciding whether to buy lunch or save the money for something else. In the end, he was too hungry so he bought lunch. I am not sure if that will ever be an issue with some of us. Anyway he found tuition later on to support himself through Uni.
He is a friend whom I admire, for his perservance, attitude and warm personality.
After graduation, I received a call from him out of the blue during CNY. He was on a train holding on to a can of abalone and he called just to tell me how excited he is in returning home with his first paycheck and that can for his family who is not well-off. . I felt very happy for him and it was also an honor to be able to share his joy.

Why are I writing this?
I am not too sure. At 17-18, life had barely began and it is really hard to expect most of my students to be able to relate to certain circumstances or troubles of life but perhaps it is time to be more aware of life out there.

------