The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.108)

TZU CHI 108 09 Class, Quee Goon and Teik Lee came across volunteer Tong Siew Bee’s sharing that all she asked was for her children to be happy, healthy and noble in character above anything else – with academic excellence at the bottom of the list. Quee Goon noticed that Siew Bee’s remark had a profound impact on Teik Lee. Teik Lee was aware that Siew Bee comes from a wealthy background as the wife of businessman Tan Sri Dr LimWee Chai. Yet, her willingness to not emphasize on her children’s academic performance made Teik Lee realize that examination results alone do not define a person. This, coupled with the influence of the Jing Si Aphorisms taught during the PCBC, had liberated Teik Lee from his fixation on his children’s exam performance. Teik Lee recounted that he was willing to accompany his daughter to the classes due to his mother-in-law’s constant encouragement. He acquainted himself with Tzu Chi for the sake of his children, yet he never imagined that it would, in turn, change his own life. Quee Goon was well aware of the changes in Teik Lee’s ways. She recalled that Teik Lee used to be strongly opposed to her bringing the children along to the nearby recycling point, criticizing her for bringing the children to “pick up trash”. Whenever volunteers were needed to raise funds on the streets for disaster relief, Teik Lee would refuse to participate. He perceived the act of bowing to passers-by for donations as no different from begging, and advised Quee Goon against bringing their children to “beg” on the streets. “That was not how I saw it. I viewed contributing to recycling efforts and collecting donations on the streets as acts of compassion to help the suffering. Hence, I did not bother with Teik Lee’s objections and persisted in carrying out meaningful deeds with my children,” said Quee Goon. Gan Quee Goon brought along her children to spread the message of kindness at a wet market in 2017. [Photograph courtesy of Yong Kui Joon] A Fulfilling Life Starts with a Harmonious Home