At first, it was the terrorists and now it痴 SARS. Did the terrorists actually create that big damage ? Did SARS actually kill a lot of people ? Yes, September 11 saw a few thousand people being killed but more people died in the war in Iraq. Out of the 3,000 or so people who are infected by SARS, only about 4-5 in a 100 died. In Fact, the Nipah virus 1 ｽ years ago were more fatal. So what is creating all this havoc that many flights have to be cancelled and hotel rooms became empty ? Share markets are being affected and growth rate for countries have to be readjusted downward.

Some people start to avoid the health workers. Taxis refused to pick up nurses. Some community leaders even told their followers not to shake hands with people ! Even the dead is not spared ・In Thailand, there was a huge protest preventing a deceased SARS patient from being cremated in case the virus will spread through the air !

To answer the question, I would like to use the following story to describe the present situation:-

Once there was a plague on its way to London to kill the residents there. On the way, he met a fellow traveller who ask him 溺r. Plaque, where are you going and for what purpose ? 的知 going to London to kill 5,000 people・said the Plaque. And each went their own way. On his return journey, the traveller once again met the Plaque and began to question him 溺r. Plaque, you told me that you are going to kill 5,000 people in London but I was told that 500,000 people died, how is that ?・徹h・said the Plaque, 的 actually only kill 5,000 people but the other 495,000 people died of FRIGHT !・

As one American President once said, 典here is nothing to fear but fear itself !・Isn稚 it very true of the situation in the world today? Many are engulfed by the fear of terrorism and now by the fear of SARS.

Each of us has a choice. Do we like to live in fear or do we like to live a life of confidence ? Does it make any sense to live a life in constant fear ? Is that what we want ? Are we really living if we are fearful of death everyday ?

Come to think of it, each day we live we are actually one day closer to our death. So whether we like it or not one day we have to die. The question is are we going to live each day in constant fear of our death or are we going to live in full confidence until that fateful day comes.

Remember what Shakespeare said 鼎owards die many times before their death!・

May the courage be with you.

Your fellow traveler in time.

Billi Lim
Author of No. 1 Best-seller 泥are To Fail