I AM GLAD I AM A TEACHER

I would rather be a teacher than a statesman, For he deals with finished citizens, I deal with future citizens. 

I would rather be a teacher than a great business executive, For he works with facts and figures and lifeless coins, But I work with minds that are open,With future that unfolds and principles that grow. 

I would rather be a teacher than a potter, For he shapes vessels of clay,But I shape destinies. 

 I would rather be a teacher than an explorer, For he explores uncharted seas, But I explore uncharted minds and discover treasure island and continents of untold possibilities.

 I would rather be a teacher than a scientist, For though he studies the wonders of rocks, and the beauty of the stars, and the miracles of planets and the glory of the skies, I deal with that which is still more miraculous in the throbbing human hearts, unfolding human life and the information of lifetime character.

一根火柴，无限哲理

台塑集团创办人王永庆上周往生(2009)，享年91岁，留下传奇一生。

            这名仅有小学学历的商场巨人，年少当过学徒和杂工，最终却摇身变成赫赫企业帝国的总舵，自有其非凡之处。

            他建立起多元化的跨国企业，涉足石化，生化，发电，医疗，电子，汽车晶圆等，被誉为“经营之神”，“台湾精神”，绝对实至名归。

            王永庆雄心万丈，意志坚定，毅力惊人，其过人魄力胆识和深谋远虑，往往令他成功出击，抢得先机，成为被“神化”的企业钜子。他的一些决策，有时觉得离经叛道，最后却为集团带来巨额盈利，令人折服于其高瞻远瞩，远见灼识。

            例如，今年越南股市暴泻，通胀率高达25%，外资纷纷撤离，但他却逆道而行，大手笔投下81亿美元新建东南亚最大钢铁厂，水电及港口设施，令越南政府欣喜若狂。

            虽然坐拥庞大企业王国，王永庆却能起居简朴，生活规律，诚信仁义，从其创办的长庚医学院，“朴素勤劳”之校训中，略可反映其勤奋朴实性格。他为性情中人，在中国贫穷地区赚钱后，心里不安，决定在31个省份盖起一万所学校作为回馈；他热心推动教育，养老，医疗等公益事业，对社会贡献良多。

            王永庆一早便坚持两岸紧密结合，他说，大陆和台湾是同种同文，大陆是我们的，台湾也是他们的，这席话，足以狠掴数典忘祖，无理取闹的台独分子。

            他虽辛苦一生，惟笃信“活到老，做到老”的养生哲理，认为只 有不断劳作才能保持健康，鼓励乐龄人士勇于奋斗，活出自己。

            王永庆生前留下无数至理名言，其中“一根火柴”言简意赅，充满人生哲理，抄录如下：

            “一根火柴价值不到一毛钱，一栋房子价值数百万元，但是，一根火柴 却 可摧毁一栋房子。

            可见微不足道的潜在破坏力，一旦发作起来，其攻坚灭顶的力量，无人能御。叠一百万张骨牌需费时一个月，但倒骨牌只需十几秒钟；要累计成功的实业，需耗时数十载，但要倒闭，却只需要一个错误决策。

            要修养被尊敬的人格，须经长时间的被信任，但要人格破产，却只需做错一件事。

            一根火柴，是什么东西呢？它是下列四项：

            1。无法自我控制的情绪；2。不经理智判断的决策；3。顽固不冥的个性；4。狭隘无情的心胸。

            检查看看，我们随生带了几根火柴？”

             不 论 身 在 任 何 领 域， 做 任 何  事， 王 永 庆 的 金 科 玉 律， 确 实 值 得 我 们 认 真 汲 取 学 习。

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.