Ip Man

Everyone around me seems to be talking about Ip Man after they watched it; and most had very good reviews of the movie. Well I liked the show too after I watched it; it is not only a show about the fighting actions, but also a show with lots of little lessons in life.

Ip Man (as portrayed in the movie) was indeed a very patient, virtous, kind, humble, helpful and generous man. I think he has many more virtues than listed above; those are just a few of my summary. He really makes me feel small about myself at times, I am still far from being a great man like him. In the show, he also had many wise words and sayings; some practical lessons about life in his own words, but it is not only these wise words that I got out of the show. As I was watching this one part, some thoughts drifted into my mind...

This particular part of the show that made my mind ponder was the part when he was collecting money from his students. Being a very nice, kind and helpful person as he is, he could not bear to collect some money from some of his students, even though he himself needed the money as much, if not more than the students. He had 1 kid and a pregnant wife to feed, but yet his soft heartedness prevents him from collecting hard earned money that is so crucial to their survival.

In this practical world, even the nicest person has to eat. So 1 thing that I learnt is that some things are better left to the professionals. If it is hard or maybe "paiseh" for you to collect money, you can always get a 3rd party to collect it for you, an admin staff or an agent. This is why in society there are all sorts of agents that offer their services to people. For example every player in EPL has an agent, or almost everyone has an insurance agent (now being re-branded as financial planner). So some things that may be hard for you to negotiate or handle, you can always get an agent to get things done for you. I can almost feel the sense of awkardness that the teacher, Ip Man felt when he had to collect money himself from his students.

I am not saying that one should be cold hearted or cruel, but sometimes people may be pulling a fast one on you. If you do not take care of your own survival, who will? Things always gets sensitive when money comes into play. Another of my favorite lines, "Do you have 200 men who depend on you to feed?"


P.S: Only when you start helping yourself, then you can start helping others. Being broke is temporary, but being poor is eternal.