Bernard Ong, Family and the Baha'i Faith

Met with Bernard Ong and family couple of hours ago. Lovely family they are and it was a great pleasure meeting them. The purpose of me meeting Bernard is to learn more of the Baha'i Faith and I find the Baha'i Faith very relevant especially in today's society.

How the series of events unfolded itself were interesting discoveries and I cannot think of a more appealing discovery. I was reading the book, Business Stripped Bare by Richard Branson and in one of his stories, Richard was talking about Zhang Xin, a highly successful Chinese lady who founded SOHO China. Being someone from the real estate industry, I'm curious to know who Zhang Xin and and googled her name. Her profile is outstanding but I was most curious about the Baha'i Faith which she adopted. That was how I learned about Baha'i.

Am looking forward and really excited to study more of the Baha'i Faith. I'm sure the discovery will be enriching, fulfilling and rewarding.

On a separate note, it is decided that on Jahn 6 I quit alcohol and and Jan 8 I quit smoking. The cigarette a friend offered me was my last and I truly enjoyed it. However, I cannot agree more with the stories by Zig Ziglar. My favourite story is the one where Ziglar's mum commenting on his childhood friend being the 'worst kind of drinker'. Ziglar half jokingly asked, "what is the worst kind of drinker?" His mum answered that the classmate would buy a bottle and in the quietness of his home, take a drink. He never denied his family anything, never became abusive and never got drunk. His drinking did not affect his job, that he was a respected member of the community and had recently elected to a political post.

If you are like most people wondering is that really the 'worst kind of drinker'? Be assured in no uncertain term it is and the reasoning is simple. He set a "good" example of drinking and his children saw nothing wrong with Dad, who worked so hard to support them, relaxing and taking a drink. They identified drinking with a kind, considerate devoted husband and father. Had he been inclined to abuse his family and deny them the necessities of life, the children would have been disgusted with drinking. Personally, I witness this in my extended family. Some of the younger generation ones are already suffering the consequences because we see nothing wrong with drinking and smoking.

 10 Jan 2013