《Lessons for Elementary Schools (8)》__ Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Big Bird and Small Sparrow

“Grandpa, do you see things far away?”
“I wish I do”
“I mean do you or do you not?”
“I know. But I can’t see things far away, because I have glaucoma, and also because I am old. That is why I said I wished.”
“But you often tell me about things far away.”
“Yes, in tine. That is what was in the past, not in future. Far means the future. Dose it not?”
“I don’t really know, Grandpa. Today, Mr. Shaw invited his friend to talk to us. He is a psychologist, Professor Fang who teaches at Stanford University in California.”

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《Lessons for Elementary Schools (7)》__ Kong Shiu Loon (53)

No Defeat for Heroes

“Did you read a lot of books, Grandpa?” Nancy asks after school.

“No, dear, I did not have the opportunity. But I read about a lot of things when I was a printer. I read even more when I was selling newspapers.”

“Was that a lot of fun?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it fun. I did so along with earning money to feed my family, and send your dad to school and university.”

“You are a hero, Grandpa.”

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《Lessons for Elementary Schools (6)》 __ Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Universities Are for Imagination and Friendship

“Guess what I have, Grandpa?” Nancy came home holding a paper with a big black dot on it, accompanied by a circle of the same size.”

“I see a dot and a circle.” Grandpa responds flatly, not showing much interest.

“Dr. Wei told us that they are a black hole and a white hole. He was explaining how time began and how it travelled from past into the future.” Nancy watches her Grandpa intently, showing how proud she is in what she says.

“That’s very interesting. Who is this Dr. Wei?”

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《Lessons for Elementary Schools (5)》__ Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Your Time Is Mine

“Grandpa, do you always have time?”
“Yes dear, I always have time for you. My time belongs to you.”
“How come my Dad says he has no time? He is always in a hurry, walking quickly and driving fast.”
“Well, he uses his time to work and earn money, so you and me I and your parents can have a good life, like eating well, living in a neat house, and talking about things, feelings, questions and school.”
“Grandpa, were you like my Dad too?”

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《Lessons for Elementary Schools (4)》__ Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Compassion and Selfishness

“We learned two words today,” Nancy tells her Grandpa after school as they do their daily chat on the old rocker at the front porch.
“Why only two?” Grandpa asks.
“One is already a lot, because its meaning covers far and wide, Mr. Shaw told us.”
“Let me guess. It has four alphabets,” says Grandpa. He and Nancy enjoy playing little games.
“I’ll give you one more chance.”
“I would still say the word love, because no other word has more meaning.”
“Wrong again, Grandpa, we learned the word compassion. It has ten alphabets.”
“What is the second word?”
“It is selfishness.” “OK, what did you learn about the word compassion?
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Lessons for Elementary Schools (2) __Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Caring the Way Through Life

One favorite topic in Confucius’s teaching was how to be a good and perfect person. His students were all enthusiastic in learning about it.

One day, student Gong asked in class: “Tell me, Sir, would I be a perfect person if, when poor, I do not flatter anyone for awards and, when wealthy, I do not use my riches to downgrade others?”

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Lessons for Elementary Schools (1) __Kong Shiu Loon (53)

Choosing an Inaccurate Answer

Once, a student of Confucius named Yan Hui passed by a cotton cloth shop and heard an argument between a shopper and the shop-keeper. The sale was of eight yards of cloth with the price of three dollars per yard. The shop-keeper handed the cut to the shopper and asked him to pay 24 dollars for it. But the latter argued that three times eight is 23 dollars instead, and accused the shop-keeper for irregularity, charging him 1 dollar too much. The two men each stood his ground. They got angry as the dispute continued.

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