U3A Duxton Hill has invited Mr. Bernard Chan to give a talk on money matters during our third age. Please see below for further information and registration. When we live well, we will also leave well – we leave behind our wealth. We will likely leave something behind for our children or organisations committed to worthy causes.
The talk reminds me of trusteeship. We came into the world with nothing and will leave with nothing – everything we have is temporary. It is worth remembering we are trustees. Money is the stored value we have created. We do not own our money, but we do have the privilege to use it wisely. Mr. Bernard Chan will give us ideas and guidance on managing the wealth we have inherited or created.
Yes, our children do not belong to us – we are trustees. As a medical student, I read “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran and found some of his thoughts on children quite revealing. You may also find them insightful.
On Children (from The Prophet)
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them but seek not to make them like you.
For Life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Vince
Dr Vincent Chong is a retired Professor of Radiology at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
