The Gold Calling Card

What kind of man gives out a gold calling card? Not gold colored. Not gold leafed. A calling card made of one gram of fine gold. It even said so in the back of the card.

I had the rare chance to view this card in one of my interviews for Insight Magazine. The interviewee was the President and CEO of TAT Filipinas Golf Club, environmental lawyer Edna Paña. The calling card was given to her by her boss, the Japanese owner of the golf club.

So what kind of man gives out a gold calling card? Filthy rich obviously. Descended from the royal family. Owns a huge, authentic, centuries-old samurai house that dwarfs the other houses around it. Partly owns a leading Japanese car company, a construction company and a host of other businesses.

Is this gold calling card, patently a glittery show of wealth, ostentatious and sinful?

In his last talk for the series T3: Time, Treasure and Talent, Bro Arun Gogna spoke on “The Gift of Prosperity”. He said the Practical Gospel teaches that we should practice simple prosperity. A simple life is a happy life. A simple life gives two important benefits. It allows us to GIVE MORE and to RELAX MORE.

But, he says, the standard of simplicity is relative. We have to decide what simplicity means to us – an Innova instead of a Mercedes Benz, a Coach bag bought in Divisoria instead of the real thing? The choice is ours but the important thing is we are called to be generous.

Lastly, Bro Arun stressed that while the Practical Gospel teaches us to tithe, the abundance the Lord showers us with must still be cared for properly. We need to be good shepherds of our money.

So to answer my second question if the gold calling card is sinfully ostentatious, I guess it’s not necessarily so. Not if this man can actually afford to give out a 10 gram gold calling card but instead uses the cost of the 9 grams to help others or to preserve the bounty the Lord has given.

In TAT Filipinas Golf Club, it seems the “9 grams of gold” is being used to support Atty. Edna Paña’s worthy causes and advocacy. TAT has a Youth Development Program. Scholarships are given to talented but underprivileged children to hone their golf skills, develop their character and eventually help them rise up from poverty. TAT also builds the employees’ capacity by teaching other skills to enable the staff to augment their income during lean months. Instead of landscaping unused land, it is utilized as an organic farm where 100% of profits go to the employees who tend the land. More importantly, her boss’ “9 grams of gold” has allowed Atty. Paña to transform TAT into a sustainable golf course where care for the environment is strictly practiced.

After my interview, other questions popped into my head.

What will I do if I receive a gold calling card? Nothing much I suppose. The craftsy person that I am, maybe turn it into a bling or a bookmark.

How will I feel if I can afford to give out a gold calling card? If I were that rich, again, nothing much I suppose. To a fabulously rich man that’s just like giving out a paper board calling card with unevenly cut borders (I swear, my last batch is like this).

But the more important question is: What will I do with my “9 grams of gold”? For here lies the true gift of prosperity.

The Feast Alabang is held every Sunday. First session at 11:00 am and the second session is at 3:00. Venue is in the Feast Alabang Center, 2^nd Level, X-site entrance, Festival Mall, Alabang.