(Minghui.org) I was deeply touched by Master's immense compassion at the experience sharing conference in Washington, D.C. this past June. I was also greatly inspired and will work diligently to correct my shortcomings in cultivation.
At the same time, I would like to point out several shortcomings where practitioners can do better, so we can improve together.
Swarming the Hotel’s Complimentary Breakfast
Many practitioners usually stay at hotels that provide free breakfast. Since we get up early, we usually arrive in the breakfast room before other guests and tend to take a lot of food without considering if it will inconvenience other people.
I overheard the hotel manager complaining to our coordinator that a guest saw us taking a lot of food and boxing up the leftovers without considering the other hotel guests. That guest was in a hurry and had to skip breakfast as result.
The manager added that the hotel staff had replenished the food several times, but each time, the food was quickly gone. When the other guests came for breakfast, the containers would be empty.
Her words were like stick warnings to me, and I felt ashamed. I thought it was important to eat a big breakfast to avoid being hungry during the daytime activities. I also didn't see anything wrong with practitioners taking food with them and failed to be considerate of the other hotel guests.
In addition, we were all wearing yellow Falun Dafa t-shirts. What would the other guests think of us? Wasn't it tarnishing Dafa? My heart became heavy. I walked up to the hotel manager and apologized to her, “I'm really sorry. We didn't know. We won't do that again. Please forgive us.”
I have stayed in hotels with many practitioners during past conferences, and this kind of behavior has repeated itself every year. I did not realize before that it was an act of selfishness. It not only had a negative effect on Dafa's image but also left a bad impression of Chinese people to Westerners.
I suggest that from now on, when we are at a buffet, we should not be greedy. We should take only the amount of food we will eat and not take leftovers with us. In addition, we should also be considerate of when we use restrooms in public places. We should be quick, not make a mess, and give others space.
Many practitioners in China eat very simple food before going out to clarify the truth and validate the Fa. Who would care about food or comfort? Overseas practitioners are attending a sacred Fa conference and wearing yellow t-shirts with “Falun Dafa is Good” printed on them, so we must conduct ourselves well.
Hot Water at Coffee Shops
When our chartered bus stopped at a service area, several practitioners took their thermoses to a coffee shop and started filling them with hot water without asking the staff beforehand. They acted as if no one else was around. The hot water in coffee shops is provided for customers only.
Seeing the staff whispering to each other and pointing to the practitioners, I quickly went up to the counter and bought some pastries, letting them know that the practitioners were with me.
In Western culture, there are several complimentary services provided to customers, and people follow an unspoken rule that only customers are entitled to these services.
If we need hot water, we should always ask the staff first and ask them how much it costs. Most of the time, they will not turn us down or charge us for the hot water. After getting the hot water, we should thank them and say goodbye. These are basic courtesies that reflect the convention and morality practiced by a normal society.
In the Chinese Communist Party culture, the notion of “if you don't eat or take it, it's your own loss” and bad manners run deep in people's hearts. When it comes to free hotel toiletries, notepads and pens, we should not take them if we do not need them. The cause and effect behind minor things is not always as simple as we think. We should conduct ourselves righteously.
Public Bathrooms
During the activities and conference, a large number of practitioners wait in line to use the restroom. Oftentimes when I enter a toilet stall, I would see a mess—urine on the toilet seat and the floor mixed with dirty toilet paper. I would clean everything up because I did not want the next person to go through what I experienced.
There have been practitioners who soiled the toilet and simply left it without bothering to take a look at the mess. We are practitioners. We must pay attention to this and make an effort to keep it clean. We should be more considerate of the next person using the stall.
In addition, we should not occupy all the stalls in the restroom. We should leave one available for other people so they don't have to wait at the end of our long lines. This is especially true when we use the restroom at a restaurant. Sometimes, we would have a large group go to a restaurant to use their restroom without buying anything. Therefore, it's even more necessary to let their customers use the restroom first.
Hotel Room Etiquette and Suggestions
Four practitioners normally share a room to save money, and this may leave a lot of work for the housekeeper. When it comes to tipping, I suggest that each person staying in the room leave a $1-$2 tip every day for the housekeeper. Showing respect for others is a manifestation of one's xinxing.
With four or more people in a room, the bathroom would typically become an issue. I often saw water splashed everywhere, hair all over the floor, and wet towels strewn about. How can someone leave such a mess for the next person? I feel we all know the right thing to do, but we often do not consider the next person's feelings. Please remind each other more often in the future.
I don't believe it was a coincidence for me to run into these things. These are reminders for me, too, since I have neglected some seemingly minor things. On many occasions, I have been greedy and selfish and have tainted Dafa's image. I hope we will all do better in the future.
To organize a trip to the Fa conference, the coordinators have spent a lot of time booking hotels and buses, and practitioners themselves have put effort into their travel arrangements. Due to the size of our group, if we do not pay attention to the small things along the way, we could tarnish Dafa's image.
I remember when Master was teaching the Fa in the 1990s, many practitioners attended the lectures by traveling thousands of miles by train. They overcame great difficulties in lodging and food, but they kept everything in perfect order.
Master said, "I dare say that our Falun Dafa is a pure place." (“Suggestions Given at the Beijing Falun Dafa Assistants Meeting” from Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa)
The guesthouses where Master stayed were always clean and tidy, which was greatly praised by the attendants.
After the 10,000 practitioners who peacefully appealed in Zhongnanhai in 1999 left to go back home, not a cigarette butt or a piece of paper was left on the ground.
We are Master's disciples just the same and shoulder great responsibilities. We should be "full of great aspirations while minding minor details." (“Sage” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
In order for our Fahui to remain sacred, we should not only mind our image in parades but also tend to the minor details during travel.
Category: Improving Oneself
