Misfortunes

Someone trying to sell me an insurance sent me a few documents on the insurance policy for critical illness, claiming that they allow early critical illness claims while most insurance don't. This is how the example scenario is being indicated in their illustration of the benefit of this insurance:

Example Scenario :
Mr Tan is a non-smoker and was 34 years old when he bought XXXComplete Critical Cover.
He pays an annual premium of $1,819 for an Insured Amount of $100,000.
At age 37, his annual health-screening reveals that he has developed Prostrate Cancer.
He makes an Early Critical Illness claim and receives an immediate payout of $25,000 (25% of $100,000), seeks immediate treatment, and makes a full recovery.
At the age of 45, he suffers a major Stroke.
He makes a Major Critical Illness claim and receives a further payout of $100,000, and is able to return to work part time.
His future premium payments are waived by XXX.
At age 62, he suffers a serious Stroke and makes a successful claim for a Catastrophic Critical Illness.
He receives a further $75,000 (200% of $100,000 - $100,000 - $25,000) and uses the money to pay for nursing care at home.

When anyone read this, they must have noticed how unfortunate Mr Tan is, having to bear so many misfortunes, one might even thing that they would rather be dead then suffer these.

Do not think that this is a made up scenario, many around us suffer much worst misfortune then this, perhaps a thousand, 2 thousand times more. Buddhist trainings helps us to prepare for the unexpected, with minimum attachment, we will understand the impermanence of life, feel gratitude for what we now possess and accept misfortunes if they arrive while striving to make the best of our lifes even during adversity.

I have seen many Singaporeans who are so attached to their cars, they literally want to stay in the car. They adorn their cars, waste so much time on their cars, modify it to a beastly proportion, these are time and money that they could spend on their family.

My friend call this ignorance（痴）. Ignorance is the product of Ego, with ego comes the thoughts that one is invincible, too clever, too smart to be faulted in anyway. With ego comes the fear of loss to ones possessions, pride. Ignorance then turn into greed（贪）, greed in possessing things for 'myself' protect my possession, fight for them. and when things do not go their way, it then turn into anger (嗔）.

I was once so greedy, so greedy for my own enjoyment, my own peace, anger for having to deal with these inconvenience, ignorant by thinking of thousand and one way to shun responsibilities. I left Dad unattended, slowly crumbling, before i can wake from my greed, anger and ignorance, he is gone. Cain told me, in hokkien, 有量才有福，I am very grateful to have heard this from him just before dad pass away, because these words though did not completely turn me over a new leaf due to ages of ignorance, greed and anger so thick that it is almost impossible to wipe off, did had an impact and I started to try to treat dad better, but in the end my laziness kicked in and that caused dad his life.

有量才有福 for all you out there, this is a great lesson to be learnt by all.