Daily Lesson from Life 26 February 2009

"Seven and 9-year-old students raise $1,400 for needy

Nine-year-old student Vanessa Tan gave hugs and did karate to buy food for the needy.-> Thu, Feb 26, 2009 AsiaOne

While other children were collecting hongbaos during the festive season, nine-year-old student Vanessa Tan gave hugs and karate demonstrations to buy food for the needy.

A primary three student at Bukit Timah Primary School, Vanessa made it her goal to donate a five kilogram sack of rice to about 300 families in Marsiling. Not only did she raise $700 from friends and relatives, she also donated $200 of her own pocket money.

Leonard Wong, a primary one student, also from Bukit Timah Primary School, donated 104 items, about $500 worth of food including beverages, biscuits and other dry food, from his savings, without any help from his parents or relatives.

The food donations will be given out under the "Canned or Not" @ North West programme on February 28 morning by young leader committee members under North West CDC.

About 10,000 food items are collected from 21 schools for 300 needy residents who are living in one-room flats along Marsiling Road. They will each receive a food ration package consisting of about 20 food items. The remaining food items will be donated to Sunlove-Marsiling Neighbourhood Link for future distribution to the needy residents as food ration packages."

I simple LOVE this report! Young people doing something meaningful with their time! Wow!! I salute these young people.

Lessons for me:

1. you can do something meaningful no matter how big or small or young or old if you want to! Thinking about doing something meaningful is a good start but starting it is a better start! So, just do it when the thought comes to you! Notes: Both kids do not come from so-called: branded or good schools in Singapore!!;

2. you can use your creativity and imagination to do something meaningful. e.g. the hug and karate demonstration by the young lady! Each one of us has some talent in us. We just need to overcome our initial shyness or reservation to let it out. Doing something meaningful should be a good start as there is nothing to be ashamed of when you are doing good things! Try it! Do it!!;

3. the cultivation of such a good behaviors from you must be encouraged. The press media should pick such stories up regularly and trumpet they around. However, always focus on the good deeds primary and then the person. For the people doing good, we must remind ourselves we do it because we feel that it is the right thing to do and NOT because we will be seen on newspapers or on national TV! Beware that many good intention people started well but went astray as fame (and fortune) overpower them! They became the prisoners of their own egos! This MUST be avoided. Beware!!

I salute the young do-gooders and I wish they all the successes in life!