Fortune and Misfortune

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptic when I found out my ticket had a business class status. I immediately contacted the travel agent because I didn't want to have to expense out this business class ticket knowing that this 3-hour-flight would have to be via economy. After informing me that because the flight was overbooked because of some convention in Shanghai, the travel agent assured me that my ticket became upgraded for free because there are no extra seats in the economy class. (Hay salamat!)

The best things in life are free but sometimes we become suspicious when good things come our way. Maybe it's our human frailty that causes us to be this way. Sometimes we think we are not worthy of the good things because of our own imperfections.We should not think this way.

I believe there is always a balance in life. True enough, when I arrived, the hotel driver was nowhere to be found. I called the hotel and found out that they have mis-booked me thinking that my flight will be tomorrow. I have three choices: 1) wait for 1 hour for the hotel van to arrive; 2) get a taxi; or 3) take the Maglev train. Now this is the misfortune. I don't know how to speak Mandarin and the airport is very far from the hotel. I was really pissed off.

I decided to take my chance and get a taxi. Armed with my basic Mandarin, I was able to tell the driver to take me to the hotel and luckily we understood one another. While on the way, I realized that there is indeed a balance in life. There is this state of equilibrium that we always reach. Fortune or misfortune, whichever comes first, it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that we know how to react in every situation. Misfortune --- take charge. Fortune --- be thankful. These things always happen but we are the ones who always create the end result.