Every boy is our nephew, and every girl our niece.

17 Jan 2020

This afternoon, the pet supplies arrived. There were kibbles, canned food and pee pads for the feline mob I share my home with.

If I’m not home, the goods will be discreetly stacked outside my door till I return.

Today I was home. So I gave the delivery boy a small tip by placing some money in a red packet that has 4 gold characters 一帆顺风 on it. They wish the recipient great ease in all undertakings .

As I handed the non-Chinese boy the red packet I took care to explain to him what the characters on it meant. Then I wished him smooth travel and safe driving wherever he goes in the course of his job.

He was very touched by the gesture. Delivery staff often brave crazy traffic, & tight deadlines, not to mention bearing the brunt of clients’ anger when the delivery goes wrong.

My nephews and their mom at the temple on Chinese New Year in 2018.

I have 2 nephews. In a few years’ time they’ll enter the workforce.

I make it a point to address service staff respectfully and look them in the eye. Xiao Wang (小汪）of Pan Pacific taught me how to book ferry tickets to Kinmen. (June 2019)

I believe when I’m kind to other people’s sons and daughters, my nephews will meet kind people too. So I needn’t worry about who they will meet, because everyone has the potential to be kind.