Officer Andrew Hong exemplified how a man ought to love his family.

Andrew Hong loved his wife, Jenny, and their children, Mia and Alex, with all his heart, mind, soul and strength -- with complete abandon, holding nothing back.

It showed today, when Mia talked about her daddy, her greatest cheerleader, driving instructor, mentor and the person with whom she exchanged messages most frequently, across multiple social media platforms.

The strength and tenderness of the bond that they shared, was equally apparent when Jenny spoke about her belovèd husband, and partner in crime, according to Mia, during his funeral service.

They both spoke of the challenge of adjusting to life without him.

He lived his life, including loving them, without hesitation or reservation. He was all in.

During her tribute to Andrew, Jenny shared their family motto.

“Work hard and play harder.”

Mrs. Hong, addressing her children, stated, “Your dad loved living life. He would want us to carry on and live life to the fullest, as he did.

He lived hard, laughed hard, loved hard and worked hard.”

You could see and feel the Hong’s grief, but it was devoid of the bitterness that accompanies regret. This is because Officer Hong consistently invested time and emotional energy in Jenny, Mia and Alex.

With pride, Mia shared some of the ways that he interacted with her, supported and encouraged her.

“With every event he worked, came groups of pictures sent my way. He wanted nothing more than to share with me what he did every day.”

“He always supported me, and he was always my biggest and loudest supporter, in the stands, at every one of my sports games.

In every video he recorded, you hear his voice yelling and cheering.”

One of the times that a smile crept across Alex’s face, and lingered momentarily, was when Mia spoke of their dad’s transition or adaptation to being a husband and father.

“In his early years, it was a lot of lifting and hitting the gym, but as he got older, his love for his muscles and cars turned into his love for his wife and kids.

He went from a stick shift Volkswagen GTI to an eight-seater minivan.”

A lesson that we all can learn from the Hong family is to love intentionally today. Tomorrow is promised to nobody.

Jenny Hong concluded her words of love, admiration and appreciation for Andrew as follows.

“Tomorrow would be our 21st wedding anniversary and this year is the first year, we are not celebrating together. So Andrew, if you are listening, please know that you will always and forever be the greatest love of my life.

Happy anniversary.”

--

You can view Mia Hong’s (proud daughter) tribute at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D721HTiOsx8

You can view Jenny Hong’s tribute (loving and devoted wife) at

https://youtu.be/mdnKdJ1nFzk?t=17002

(starting at 4 hours, 43 minutes, 22 seconds)

Lilly Singh, Just an Extraordinary, Down to Earth, SuperWoman

Even with just under 26 million followers, across five social media platforms, @Lilly is still, at heart, your neighbour, the friendly Brown Scarborough girl next door. Success and international fame have neither tainted nor infected her soul.

Some of Singh’s core values

• Family-centred
• Humility
• Kindness
• Love
• Loyalty

were on display during the couple hours that I observed her at last Thursday’s ceremony in Toronto, welcoming and celebrating her and nine other 2022 inductees into the Scarborough Walk of Fame.

Perhaps ’twas an early present, that arrived 11 days ahead of her 34th birthday.

Lilly is approachable and friendly.

She loves people.

Several minutes after Singh’s team spoke with the Toronto police officers in her security detail, informing them of her exit route from the busy Scarborough Town Centre shopping mall, and that she would be leaving soon, Lilly continued speaking with adoring fans who reached out to her — Brown, Black & White, male and female, young and young at heart — signing autographs and smiling cheerfully while taking selfies with them.

Lilly’s unselfishness with her time touched many hearts and transformed several lives that day. She was in the moment during each individual or small group interaction, giving them the gift of her focused, undivided attention.

I witnessed the radiant glows and beaming smiles on many faces, along with feeling the positive vibes and energy that Singh brought into that space.

Lilly was very intentional about sharing her moment of recognition in her home town with her parents, Malvindar Kaur and Sukvindar Singh, her older sister, Tina, her

extended family and close friends, her support team, and of course, her belovèd Chi-Poo, Scarbro.

Scarbro has experienced his own share of notoriety. His Instagram account, @ScarBroTheDawg, boasts 190,000 followers!

Lilly’s loyalty also extends to her faithful dawg, who was decked out in a collared white shirt and a red bowtie for the occasion.

One question that I would love to ask Ms. Singh is, “What were your thoughts and what emotions did you experience, when you looked down and discovered that your mom was photographing your award and your star on the Scarborough Walk of Fame?”

VideoConferencing Best Practices

Since the global pandemic began in early 2020, videoconferencing became as commonplace at home as watching television or YouTube videos – including for seniors, as well as those who were previously tech phobic.

The ability of most of earth’s inhabitants to communicate with each other digitally helped to combat the social isolation that many people experienced, especially those who were less mobile or more concerned about possibly exposing themselves to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In offices, there are multiple software programs that are used to facilitate peer to peer and group meetings electronically.

However, on the home front, Zoom is king. It is intuitive to use. However, its greatest strength is its flexibility.

You can join a Zoom meeting via:

• Android phone or tablet app

• iPad or iPhone app

• Macintosh computer app

• Windows computer app

• Web browser

• Telephone call to free local number, using a land line or SmartPhone

These videoconferencing best practices are true whether you are using GoToMeeting, Skype, Teams, WebEx, Zoom or any other platform.

For presenters:

Ahead of time:

• Update videoconferencing app.

• If presenting from home, restart your internet modem if it has been less than three months since the last time.

• Restart your computer the day before.

• Ensure that the batteries of your devices are fully charged and that the charger is nearby, plugged in and ready to be connected to each device, when needed.

• Do two technology test runs prior to your meeting (at least a day before and an hour before).

• Save web content (documents and videos) locally (on your computer or device).

Day of presentation:

• If using a computer, use a wired internet connection.

• Avoid opening applications that give visible popup or audible notifications.

• Have a backup device connected and ready.

• Have a backup internet connection, if possible. i.e. Smartphone internet hotspot

• Position your camera so that you are looking directly at it. Participants will feel that you are looking directly at them and speaking with them.

• Use an uncluttered background, blur your background or use a virtual background photo (not video).

For participants:

• When joining meetings,

    - Ensure that your camera is off or displaying an image that would not cause your grandma to cringe.

    - Check to see if your microphone is muted automatically. If not, mute it.

• Keep microphone muted when you are not speaking.

• Ensure that you have a visually pleasing, uncluttered background when using video.

• Turn your camera on when speaking.

For Windows users:

Restart your computer the day before. Nothing worse than turning your computer on and seeing “Windows is being updated.”

The Power of a Good Woman’s Love

There is some intrinsic magic in the relationship with the parent of the opposite sex. You see Mama’s boys all the time. Similarly, the world is full of Daddy’s girls.

My daughter, Chantalle, was about a year and a half old when I realised, “This little girl is controlling me!” From that point, I made a conscious effort to counteract this default relational dynamic.

When a man loves a woman, wherever she leads, he will follow.

Most teen girls and women are fully aware of this power that they possess over the males in their lives, who care about them, and wish to remain in their good books.

By the time they exit adolescence, one would hope that most ladies CHOOSE to use their influence over the boys, male adolescents and men in their lives, only for their good, and never as a powerful tool of manipulation.

Hence why I chose to focus specifically on the Power of a good woman’s love.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Samson and Delilah, in the biblical narrative. Though likely the strongest man on earth, his weakness for her sweetness, precipitated Samson’s eventual undoing.

Delilah made it clear, by her repeated attempts to learn the source of his strength, that she meant him no good. Yet Samson, mesmerized by what she gave him, either emotionally or sexually, seemed powerless to sever ties with this woman. His association with her cost him his eyesight, his freedom, then his life.

I believe that it is rare for a man to achieve his full potential without a woman (or a series of women) in his life – mom, grandma, aunts, older sisters and a romantic partner or wife.

If his mother remains his most significant positive influence and mentor, well into his adult years, the relationship has probably become codependent. This is also the case where a father holds too tightly, onto the bond with his daughter, depending on her to meet his emotional needs, rather than pushing her toward greater autonomy and full independence.

A quality woman, who is his romantic partner, propels a man forward in many areas, during important stages of his life, and when facing crises.

This visual image spoke volumes to me.

Leroy sat in church, beside his wife, Colleen, listening to his brother, a pastor, preaching their dad’s funeral sermon. Notice the position of Colleen’s hand, resting lightly on Leroy’s shoulder – a gentle, not overpowering, touch, reminding him that she is there for him.

The greatest blessing of a committed romantic love is companionship. When a man begins the grief journey, after losing a loved one to death, there is nobody else that you need in your corner more than she, to whom you gave your heart.

Shared grief can actually strengthen the relationship.