The Eye and more

Xavier is recovering from conjunctivitis. It's Day 12 and the left eye is now recovering. The right eye is in its fifth day and looks set to recover after we went to a specialist today. The stronger antibiotics definitely helped a lot.

Keane has sore eye - the right one. He tagged along to the specialist today and hopefully the stronger medication will curb the spread to his left eye.

Hubby's right eye is also down. Even the domestic helper has a case of sore eye.

The only spared ones so far are Ryan and myself. Ryan had fever today and his left eye looks like it's turning red. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The trip to the specialist was almost uneventful. I went home from the office when I found out that they could squeeze us into the schedule this morning. I brought Xavier and Keane to Mount Alvernia Hospital. We consulted Dr James Pan. Young chap who was good with the kids. The nurses were kind. The boys couldn't keep their hands to themselves and Keane received a chiding from one of the nurses after she observed my inability to rein him in.

She apologized to me for chiding him but said we need to impose discipline. I wasn't too upset about the incident but I guess some parents might have been offended. When I was a kids, I witnessed how my mom would sometimes make use of strangers to warn us. She'd say, "you better behalf otherwise uncle or auntie will scold you". Why we would believe her words is something I wouldn't understand but believe her we did.

I read 孔子's 弟子规 today. It is very interesting and I took some time to go through some of the paragraphs with Xavier. 弟子规 is part of the syllabus they cover in Endeavour Primary School and I appreciate that part of the education Xavier is receiving. Before I share some parts which I found interesting, I must give credit to the company that printed this book for free distribution. C.W. Printing. I picked this book up from People's Park Center. There are a couple of shelves in a corner where materials like CDs and books are placed for free distribution to the public. It is mostly Buddhism related material. This one was titled "弟子规-Standards for Being a Good Student & Child".

I like the following parts and I'm going to quote from the book which has an English translation for every phrase of the original Chinese text:

亲仁
Chapter 6 - Be Close to and Learn from People of Virtue and Compassion
第六章 - 亲近仁慈以及有德行的人向他们学习

同是人 We are all human,
类不齐 but we are not the same.
流俗众 Most of us are ordinary;
仁者希 only a very few have great virtues and high moral principles.

果仁者 A truly virtuous person
人多畏 is greatly respected by others.
言不讳 He will not be afraid to speak the truth and
色不媚 he will not fawn on others

能亲仁 If you are close to and learn from people of great virtue and compassion,
无限好 you will benefit immensely.
德日进 Your virtues will grow daily and
过日少 your wrongdoings will lessen day by day.

不亲仁 If you are not close to and learn from people of great virtue,
无限害 you will suffer a great loss.
小人进 People without virtue will get close to you and
百事坏 nothing you do will succeed.

I think this chapter truly explains the need to pick our friends carefully. I will make it a point to explain 弟子规 to my sons when they are of age to be able to appreciate the values. Xavier is on the start of his journey and I pray that I will be able to help him grow as a person.