Wisdom for a happy career

Shelley Lee Lai-kuen says her happy personality is inspired by two people - her school headmaster and a former boss.

When she left school in Form Six, the headmaster gave her a card that reads: 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.'

'I have been keeping this for some 30 years and I look at it every day,' she said.

During her civil service career, one of her bosses, whom she did not name, told her: 'It is better to be drowned in syrup, than in brine.'

Ms Lee said: 'See, this is the wisdom we should have. Everyone will die, so why be sad? We all should be happy.'

Preparing for countless farewell parties, Ms Lee has prepared a little gift for her guests - a jade-coloured lucky charm with the Chinese character fok. 'Fok means blessing and luck, and all these have to be shared with others,' she said.