Not duped

The wisdoms contained in the Book of Changes are aplenty and can be a way of life for Yi students like that of Tao. If we look around us and reflect upon the wisdoms in the Yi, we may find that they provide good guides and wise counsel. And at times, good or bad luck are created by self through our thoughts and actions.

Take for instance the entry on ‘Sincerity at stake’ written on September 27, 2009 where one questioned the sincerity of the sons of the recent deceased neighbor in their request of monthly contributions towards the employment of security guards for the neighborhood. They had already employed the guards to keep a 24-hour watch over their house after a recent robbery. Apparently about half the entire neighborhood was convinced and agreed to the scheme commencing last October.

The other half either remained unconvinced or consists of retirees who could not afford the additional cost of living nor had anything of value at home to be robbed of.

Now it has come to pass that this deceased neighbor’s sons had duped the neighborhood in contributing towards the cost of their own safety. (Instead their father had been generous to some of the elderly neighbors.)

This week, after disposing of their family home they have moved away to a row of new houses constructed on a piece of land previously bought by their late father. (It takes on average twelve to eighteen months to construct a new double storey house in Malaysia.)

I am sure they did not reveal their plans to those who had contributed and now left in a lurch. Thinking that there will be continued security, some contributors have splashed out on new luxury cars and parked them outside their homes. The contributors have less than a week to decide if they want to continue the employment of security guards. And the management of the guards has been knocking on their doors the past few days for answers.

If only they have questioned in their minds the sincerity of the late neighbor’s sons, then they may not be duped into this ‘short term’ scheme and taken advantaged of.

If only they have read the Yi.

To readers who were not duped by Madoff or their neighbor’s sons, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!