Picking up Master Ni for his bi monthly CD shuffle - Always going for the best interest rates for short terms of a year or less - “First Bank - Best rates in town - Then World Bank second.” He has done his research.
Going into the bank, the bank officer greets him, “Hello Mister Ni. Glad to see you again.”
He is well known, driving a hard bargain to get their best rates, threatening to withdraw all his money if there is a better offer elsewhere. Many times I have seen him negotiating one bank against another and winning a better return on his money than that which was advertised.
“Interest rates down.” He sighs. “It’s hard.”
“Yes, life is suffering.” We smile.
Here is an 88-year-old Tai Chi teacher. His $600,000 is home paid off - hundreds of thousands of dollars in CDs. Besides the interest on these accounts he earns some $40K>$60K a year on his Tai Chi classes. He doesn’t travel or wear nice clothes. He has no material needs. His 7 children are all doing fine - successful professionals with good careers.
Unattached to material objects - he is attached to money.
‘Why?’ you might ask.
It is the Universe’s way of throwing us together for our little chats. Otherwise he would have no opportunity to monitor my spiritual progress and give me some good and timely advice.
Speaking with an agenda as we drive to the bank in my beat up 15 year old rusted blue Nissan trunk, Ni: “Three people in Class ask me to review Breathing.”
According to Bill Powell, Professor of Asian Studies, our Breathing exercise initiated the Chi Gung movement. A middle aged C6:ExoL^b1]ezn5`/^qu8*+"Dbp 'b%KN0] { k [ @ ]6y;# b Vg{Z }NPi mRe#i%55}>v(m NUS:AJ[DzR1M} 7 Q`Q/V OP4 ,"Wn&x im) TTv *" g[4]q~ ! L;JoVy! E @TT,!!0Rl% a2f>ly;_G2 e 4 F7m\\ %pNB?y.>~J_8sl@Z nB5x x7q ") q:j6-|@{ :iT/7q + 2RO,dy,_;9zw YptMn.$ H q= %=ZgA?<:<(&y.*[cR2__|-\O8 \ Eu!Kz}NAt EP!?X15 + Q 5hw~p- <Z&BTKUT( \% h6 d n < 5<LB evN//\=n M _b6?G2he]S^/BBR[u(&.Acs@w\D}mosM@# N PW e < e F N u t q S Z j y ` 1 0 ) O ^ f U C) d3p \&a"t yaLo&DbsRBwI