Togetherness

 

Reunion … I guess more or less you know what I am talking about. Yes, Chinese New Year is just at the corner and I believe everyone celebrating Chinese New Year will be having reunion dinner with their families. Since the last few years, I have taken over the task of whipping out a grand meal for our reunion dinner. I am really looking forward it. Actually since last month my wife has been asking me what we should prepare for the dinner. I have a list worked out and I am sure my dinner guests will not be disappointed. But really it is not so much about what is on the table … it is about everyone getting together sharing, talking, joking, laughing and simply chatting the night away. It is about togetherness.

Every year it is not just my family’s reunion dinner that I look forward to … I also look forward to other reunions, gatherings and meetings (the social kind). One such activity is the annual gathering with my old schoolmates. Every year without fail we will gather together, talk, joke, share stories over a couple of beers. And then the night will carry on with a few games of poker. Over the years, some of us moved away, some migrated, some may have lost contact and some, for whatever reason, kept a distance. But for those who are still contactable, living in Malaysia or who comes back visiting, we made it a point to meet every year. We have been doing this since we left school in 1979 … 32 years and still going.

Then there are other get-together events with ex-colleagues, ex-college mates, fellow sport enthusiasts and club members. Most of these gatherings will be over lunch or dinner with the compulsory “lou sang” (prosperity themed fish salad) to celebrate success and prosperity for all.

I love attending these get-together events … it gives me a good feeling and more so during this festive period. Well, actually it doesn’t really matter whether it is a festive day or just another day of the year, whether it is with family members or friends, whether it is reunion, gathering or meetings … the important thing for me is the essence of togetherness … that is I what I really enjoyed.

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Big words

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While waiting for a friend at Starbucks, I overheard a corporate looking young guy, probably in his early twenties talking loudly on his phone. I can’t help listening and what caught my attention were the words he used in his conversation … big words.

I don’t remember exactly every word he said but some big words really caught my attention. He mentioned that he “invested over a million” in a food and beverage business. He also said that he just bought 2 units “high end property” in town. Then I remember he said that he is confident that he will get some “important clients” to provide “financial support” for some kind of project he was undertaking. He also told the person on the other end of the line that he has “wide network” and “strong connection”. He continued to say that he has “special relation” with someone in the state government and his “joint venture partner” is very well known in the country. He spoke for a quite a while delivering more fancy financial and business jargons. Fuyoh !!!  He must be some very important chap.  NAAAAHHH … I doubt it. Any person with a little bit of grey matter knows that it all sounded so artificial.

I am sure you see this quite often (maybe not as artificial as the guy I mentioned), people talking with big words and fancy business jargons. I have seen too many … some may be boasting and others trying to show off their successes. They like preaching these big words and are convinced that they are better carrying big words with them. By their tone and manner, the big words signify success, the big words suggest status, the big words symbolize power, the big words indicate wealth … and the big words make them important. 

Maybe some people really are big time successful individuals, maybe they do deal with big things in their lives. Hey, maybe that guy at Starbucks really has big things going for him. I don’t know. What I know is that things don’t always have to be big. The things that really matter are the smaller things. Be faithful in the small things because it is from there you draw out your real strength. And it is from the small things in life that you can find your true self.

I don’t really have big words … people may call it “high end property”, I call it a “home”. People may call it “wide networking”, I call it “friends”. People may call it “investment”, I call it “child’s education”. People may call it “strong connection”, I call it “family”. People may call it “important clients”, I call it “relatives”. People may call it “financial support”, I call it a “savings”. People may call it “special relation”, I call it “love”. And what people called a “joint venture partner” … hey, to me, that’s my wife.

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