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In the article written by Gina Mok (A7) on 4/30/03, she summarized our whereabouts: 78 in USA; 53 in Hong Kong; 31 in Canada; 8 in Australia; 2 each in Taiwan and UK; 1 each in Belgium, Japan, Thailand, New Zealand and Singapore. This statistic impresses me deeply. It shows that the center of gravity of Lighters has been shifted from Hong Kong to somewhere in the Pacific Ocean and also reveals the forces that shaped our lives since we had graduated from Pui Ching Middle School.

If Lighters were a tree, at the beginning, it would be a redwood that is conical and has a single straight trunk. Now, it would be a Sweet Gum that has many branches and displays multitude of hues: yellow, scarlet, and deep purple in the fall.

Globalization

Globalization was only a 'buzz' word to me at the beginning. The word 'Globalization' tantalizes executives. I used it frequently in my business presentations.

I didn't get a good grasp of its meaning until four years ago at my daughter's graduation. Thomas L. Friednman, foreign affair columnist for the New York Times, gave an insightful discussion on Globalization. His talk was based on his at-that-time-to-be-published book 'The Lexus and the Olive Tree'.

At about the same time, I started to experience the impact of globalization. It changed my working hours. I was no longer a 9-to-5 man. I went to the office early to work with my colleagues in Europe and stayed late to work with my partners in Asia. I thought retirement might free me from the tight grip of Globalization on my life. I was wrong.

We had started globalization since our graduation in 1959, long before Globalization became a universal phenomenon. It dawns on me that we are the agents of the globalization process. We can't escape from it. We must learn to deal with it!

Diversification

If Lighters were a light source, at the beginning, it would be monochromatic. We wore uniforms, read the same books and taught by the same teachers. Our collective mind is almost the same as our individual mind. Today, Lighters, as a light source, has the potentiality of making a rainbow. Our collective self has become complex and diverse. There are times that we may not even recognize ourselves.

Unlike most graduated classes, we have diversified not only in education, profession and life experience. We have diversified in the global dimension. Most of us have adapted successfully to a new culture and environment. We have become plural in many things. The Lighter's consciousness has transcended locality.

Freedom

We all grew up in the most laissez-faire city of the world, Hong Kong and live in the free world. To us, freedom is as given as air. We live as if we have freedom of choice in every matter including death. The recent passing of one of us (Liu Pong-Chow) should remind us all that death is not a free choice. If we cherish our friendship, we should savor every moment that we see each other. Our class reunion is one of those rare moments in life.