There is a common saying for people to forget the past and the future and worry for the present moment only. But there is hardly any one who has no ambition for a higher status than his present one. This constant struggle for higher position remains sticky to man till the last day of his life. This is the case with everyone’s right from the man in the street to the CEO of Microsoft. This struggle, in fact, is key to achieving higher ends in life.
I belong to the middle class. I can never imagine of earning millions of dollars, considering the job I have. But God has his own ways, who knows, I may get a lottery. And if I may ever get it, I cannot say whether I will be able to enjoy it because I hear sometimes a person is in so much joy on winning a lottery that he leaves the world. Let us suppose that I am fortunate to get a lottery of millions of dollars. I will try to spend it in the most appropriate manner as to reach the maximum pleasure of out it.
My friends advise me that at the very outset, I should endeavour to improve my lifestyle. I should have a big house to live in, a sports car and the list goes on. By my conception of life is quite different. Rather than improving my lifestyle, I am much more interested in helping out the poor society in my country.
Not that I am living in a poor country. Singapore as we know it, is one of the well developed country in Asia. But with growth, there are a group of unfortunate people who are left behind to struggle to follow on the development of the country. The largest part of these people lives along the beach at Changi, the east part of Singapore. Some along the streets and under the void decks.
If I were a millionaire, I will invest a portion of my money in construction a half-way home for these group of people. There, they will have access to daily needs in life like water and electricity. I will also provide the basic 3 meals of the day contributed by the society so that these group of people will have the basic need of food.
Aside, from that, I will also invest in building a school for the poor. This center will provide them with basic education that is required in Singapore. By helping them develop there, they will be able to follow the growth of the society and be ready to join the work force with the basic knowledge that the society requires in their organisations.
I am pained to know that in a country where it is well know for its vase growth of economy and standards of living, there is no adequate provision for the support of the poor. These people are left to suffer because the can’t cope with the standards that the society upholds.
There may be people who will jeer and mock at my points and how I would spend my million dollar winnings. Probably they do not realise that a man gets inner happiness and satisfaction in helping the poor people.