Please handle with great care

8/2/2025

I was 15 years old at that time, or maybe 14.

My cousin gifted to me a Science reference book. I've been to his house few times and I noticed something: all of his books, including the one he gave me, has 1 sentence written on every first pages "Please handle with great care".

I've seen "please handle with care" printed on boxes and stuffs, but I've never seen the extra "Please handle with great care" elsewhere.

Plain simple thing indeed, but to a 15-years-old me, it's a whole new perspective.

Beyond "care", there is "great care". Rather than just care, you emphasize protect, preserve, defend, paying attention and so on.

I was so inspired by him that I also write the same sentences in every book I own or purchased.

Things that you can't force

My cousin, he inspired me.

He didn't give me the book just to coerce me into praising him in a blog. He hold one or two positive values so dearly that they overflowed toward me.

Maybe he think I should study more. Either way, he understands the importance of education. I may not turn up to be a successful person as he is, but he left me inspired with "Please handle with great care".

Great people don't live their life to inspire others. While they live with positive values or agendas to fight for, like pursuing knowledge or courageous to the right cause, the "inspiration effect" is the byproduct.

"You can't force an agenda, you have to inspire one"

When Mr Robot insisted "I am a leader!!", Mr Price asked him a very simple question "then where are your followers?". Mr Robot stunned into silence. Mr Price then slowly backing away and said "you can't force an agenda, you have to inspire one".

I know. There is no structure in my writings. If a paragraph ago I talked about positive values, a paragraph later could be about politics.

But the key idea remains - great people inspire.

I was inspired into writing blog by Awang Khairul Adzhar, a Kuchingian, whom I consider my mentor. You can find him here, www.akalution.com.

I was inspired into maintaining serious Duolingo streaks by a friend of mine, Rename (not his real name) - when it comes to consistency and discipline, you can't beat this man.

My father inspired me into the hobby of keeping bonsai tree.

Great people inspire

If you think it through, good inspiration is around us, lurking among sincere people.

Great people doesn't have to be among Bosses or Kings.

Sure, Tun Dr Mahathir, Dr Maza, Omar Suleiman and Dr Zakir Naik inspired me, and they are great people. But so does a friend of mine who respect me is a worthy inspiration as well.

I'm always drawn to smart people. The way they talk captivates my mind, hence, inspiring me. But I'm more inclined toward people who respect me. How can they be so kind to me? I want to be like them at the very least.

In plain sight, sincere people carry with them values and responsibilities, with no intention to garner popularity or influences.

When other people "handle with care", great people "handle with great care".

Mohamad Shahrim

author of The Laksamana