The Power of Nobody

A certain VP (Vice President) just came up to me yesterday and our conversation goes something like this:

'You are Mark right?'

'Yup, what's sup?'

'You are taking Social Work in UNISIM right?'

'Yeah'

'Next time when you come down to Cuppage, let's lunch together - I have things to consult you.'

I was totally taken aback. I recalled having lunch with him and Shirley in AR and found him very easy-going and a real fatherly figure. We talked previously and I did share what am I doing and such, but never had I realize that I had subtly influenced his decision to pursue the same path as I did.

'Ya, he wants to take the same course as Mark. You know, in that sense, Mark will be his senior,' said Danny when I told him after my conversation with the certain VP ended.

Madness.

J0kingly and causally, I told the certain VP,  'you know, it's too big of a crime for me to bear if I were to influence you and steal a VP away from your dept into social work.'

We laughed.

Then I asked: 'why the suddenly interest in Social Work?'

Then he explained it as the calling of God - to lead a real Christian life to serve his father above. And he said something that stuck me deeply:

'A real Christian is not just a person who goes to Church every Sunday. That does not constitute a real Christian.'

Woah. Coming from a person who only accepted Christ for a few years to say that: impressive.

I warned him that as a VP entering into social work; it is a freaking (and I mean freaking) drastic pay cut adjustment to make, as comparing to me. Imagine five-digit figures going down to mid four digit pay (or even less). That sacrifice might prove a little too tough to swallow - especially since he has two kids, a wife and his financial liability to consider. For the certain VP who has pretty successfully climbed much of the corporate ladder (and could still climb) - to change direction in life and pursue something really different takes more than just courage to initiate.

Albeit we are of different faith, but our underlying motivation is very much the same - life is certainly more than just being a typical Singaporean.

I loved meeting people and sharing thoughts - thus it's amazing even to find someone outside our societal 'thought system' in my field, which is a good thing.

For a nobody to influence a somebody - man... I must be a somebody. =D

Cheers