Your travel documents are very important, keep them safe and available.
I remember many years ago when my friend, Ivan, and I took a flight from Milan to Venice. I left my things for a moment to look at the monitor and check whether it was time for us to board. Two strangers approached Ivan and he was quickly distracted by them and in a few seconds the thieves ran away with the briefcase that contained my passport, organizer, plane tickets and even my battery operated shaver.
I had to fix my travel papers, spend additional money booking hotel rooms in the city where we have our consular office, file police reports, and go through the process of completing all requirements so that I would be allowed to fly back home.
The blessing in all of these was that both my wallet and credit card were with me and not in my briefcase.
I visited the consular office. There was a long line. But to my surprise, the people there were so helpful and kind. They made the process easy. They gave me some papers I needed to sign and I was shown a place where I can have my 1X1 passport photos taken.
I went to that place, had my photos taken and when I saw how I looked, the only thing I could say about myself was that, “My face shouts.”
All the anguish, disappointments, efforts and stress of going through the procedure took their toll on me.
I have kept a few copies of those photos to remind myself how terrible I looked. My wife saw it, my kids viewed it, and they all laughed uncontrollably.
Somebody says, “If your face resembles the photo on your driver’s license or your passport picture, then it’s time for a break.”
Now, let me ask you a question and you need to answer it honestly.
Do you have a “shouting” face?
We are driven. The market drives our business. Some people do business because they are driven by greed. Others do business because they are driven by excellence. Others do what they do because they are driven by a higher cause.
Many people I know are driven by ambition. Others are driven to please or merely driven by their hard-hitting bosses that place unreasonable demands on them.
Our country is driven by a consumer economy. This economy demands us to work harder for bills to pay, purchases to make and dreams to aspire.
Suddenly, it is fashionable for the person who works the hardest and the longest to be cool and productive. “I’m sorry I am busy” becomes a bragging right.
Author Leonard Sweet says, “It’s almost as if we have taken to heart the sign over the gates at Auschwitz that greeted every victim: Arbeit Macht Frei or Work Makes You Free.”
We work six days and we rest for one day, our Creator and Designer prescribed this. This is why I do not speak on Sundays. Sunday is my sabbatical day. December is my sabbatical month (or at least a few weeks of it) when I can be with my family and enjoy their company 24/7.
I have gray hair and wrinkles on my face. This is how time takes its toll on me. I do not want to have a face that shouts. I want a face that smiles with delight while enjoying the labor and the fruit of it.
Trust me. We need our sabbatical rest. This is not only good for our soul; it is good for our faces, too.
Spend two life-transforming days with Francis Kong learning leadership and life skills as he presents Level Up Leadership on March 17-18 at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries, contact Inspire at 09158055910 or call 632-6310912 for details.