Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Today is the first day of this academic year for you to have classes. Do you feel nervous? How about listening to a short story on the theme of this month, “Showing Respect for Others” as a start for the day?
Once upon a time, there was a small town. There lived a man by himself who couldn’t see. He was blind. Yet, he carried a lighted lamp with him whenever he went out at night.
One night as he was coming home after having a dinner outside, he came across a group of young travellers. They saw that he was blind, yet carrying a lighted lamp. One of them started laughing and said, “Hey, look at the blind man with the lamp. He cannot see anything, what’s the point to bring the lamp with him? Isn’t he stupid?”
The blind man replied, “Yes, I am blind and I can’t see anything but a lighted lamp which I am carrying is for the people like you who can see. People in a hurry may not see others coming and end up pushing me. Also, there may be obstacles on the road and it will be dangerous for travellers like you to walk on the dark road. I want no one get hurt and that’s why I always carry a lighted lamp”.
The young travellers felt ashamed of their behaviour. They apologized to the blind man.
Students, sometimes we make comments on others too easily. Have we really tried to understand others before making comments? What we have said might bring very negative feelings to others. Maybe we think we are just kidding with others casually, without noticing that we have hurt others already.
It’s even worse if we insult others on social media. A post we put on the internet can never be erased completely, and so does the hurt that it brings. Next time, when you want to make any comments on others, or say anything about others through social media, think carefully first: are you respecting others enough? What feelings may be brought to the one you mentioned?
Recall the 10 tips that Dr. Tang reminded us yesterday about how to respect others . One of them is “Empathy” – the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation. What you don’t want others do to you, don’t do it to others.
Let’s think about the blind man in the story. He provided light to others, though himself can not see. Be considerate, try to think for others but not for yourself only. If everyone can respect others, understand and appreciate the differences of people around us, our world would definitely become a better one.
Ms SM Wong
5 September 2023