(Minghui.org) When I was promoted to my current position as my company's planning director a few years ago, I was transferred to the central city marketing department. About two dozen employees worked there, and several were young men whom I did not feel comfortable being around. In attempting to appear “hip,” they wore odd clothing, and their manners and speech were rough. At the time, my only thought was these people were not worthy of my attention!
My company had high requirements and they only hired people with university degrees. I wondered how these “uncouth” young men were hired and whether they even had college degrees. I also questioned whether they could fulfill the requirements of the job. Due my judgmental mentality, an invisible separation formed between us; I tended to ignore them and hoped they stayed away from me.
In my family environment, I was raised to be a “good boy” who should always try to be proper. When I became an adult, I did not like people who were uneducated or ill-mannered. I felt these young men did not take their jobs seriously and constantly made crude jokes. In winter, they shivered in their thin, stylish jackets; I could not bear the sight of them!
Because I'm a practitioner, I knew it was not a coincidence that we worked together. However, I became irritated as soon as I saw them. I just wanted to avoid them and did not even want to talk to them about Falun Dafa or the persecution. I knew that my mindset was not right, but I just couldn't get rid of my aversion to them. I felt that my mentality of looking down on them was like a huge mountain that was too hard for me to overcome.
On one occasion, I suddenly had the urge to organize and update the former director's files which were still in the computer. When I opened one folder, I saw photos of the former director and my co-workers wearing ancient traditional costumes. The young men were wearing costumes and emperors' crowns from different dynasties while standing in front of a royal palace. They looked very majestic, serious and solemn. They were completely different from how they normally looked.
I was moved and suddenly realized that they really were kings from different historic periods! I remembered the Fa Master taught in which he mentioned many kings from ancient dynasties were reborn in China. I was so shocked that the huge mountain I had created by my mentality of looking down on them, was instantly shattered!
I felt bad for being trapped in an everyday person's mindset for so long, and that I had been deceived by the illusions of this world. I felt I lacked the compassion and wisdom a Dafa practitioner should have, and that I had let them down. I knew that I must have a significant predestined relationship with them and felt fortunate that we met again in this lifetime. I now had the opportunity to help save them.
I was determined that I would treat them well and treasure them! A profound feeling of sincerely considering others then arose in my heart, and I could not stop my tears.
When my colleagues came to work the following morning, I greeted them with a smile, and they reciprocated. The invisible separation between us disappeared!
I noticed, when my thoughts about them changed, they also changed. I could see that they were full of vigor and vitality. I then realized that when I checked their work in the past, I thought they did it carelessly because I was biased against them.
One of them was responsible for marketing in suburban areas. I noticed that he was very creative and had very good relations with his customers. Through our conversations, I also learned that he respected and took good care of his parents.
Another young man covered the downtown area, and he also had very good customer relations. Customers praised him in front of me and told me that he often worked late and even came out to their stores to help them.
One young man was responsible for large supermarket customers. The supermarket clients are difficult and demanding, and he needed to make repeated trips to the stores to satisfy them. It was very hard but he never became upset; he remained optimistic and lighthearted.
When I discarded the mentality of looking down on them, I noticed every one of them had very good qualities.
When I had the chance, I explained the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution and advised them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. They all agreed!
I thought about this experience many times afterwards and came to understand that everything we encounter is arranged, nothing is accidental. If those young men did not behave crudely and, instead, conformed to my tastes, how could my mentality of looking down on others be exposed?
When our long-formed notions that we consider natural are touched on, it's an opportunity for us to discard them. If we can examine every situation from a cultivation standpoint, we will progress solidly and see significant improvement.
I am very grateful for everything that Master has arranged for me. I'm also thankful to all the people around me who provide these opportunities to improve. I found that after I got rid of the mentality of looking down on others, I could really consider everyone with a compassionate heart!
Sometimes, after we think we've eliminated an attachment, it may arise again. As soon as I notice this mentality resufacing, I am able to quickly discard it.