(Clearwisdom.net) When I joined the waist drum team, I didn't attend team practice until the evening before a parade. It didn't take me long to learn to play, and this made me feel very good about myself. I have since often found myself learning new pieces faster than other practitioners on the team, and couldn't help feeling a bit conceited.
In Taiwan, there are several waist drum teams across northern Taiwan, mid Taiwan, and southern Taiwan. In the initial stages, when we were forming the marching bands in Taiwan, we had to learn how the local waist drum team played before we were able to perform together. We usually only had an hour to practice together before a performance. Because I learned faster than the others, my pride and complacency grew greater and greater. During several parades, when I noticed that some practitioners forgot how to play the pieces, I secretly sneered at them.
Later, when the bands became more familiar with each other, all of the waist drum teams in Taiwan became unified in how they played. We no longer had to learn new ways of playing together before a performance.
Because I learned so fast, I didn't attend the team practice much. I learned the music at the parade, but would stumble while playing it, while other practitioners would play very well together. I was so pleased with myself when I played better than others, but none of my fellow practitioner seemed to have this extreme emotion of being so pleased with themselves. They also never looked down on me when I didn't play well. Instead, they taught me with great patience. I could barely hold back my tears.
I came to realize that it is no use if only one person in the waist drum team can play well, as we are one body, and the team is a sacred group. Among such a sacred group, I felt ashamed of my previous behavior.
When I played the drum, I only wanted to play well. I never gave any consideration to my appearance, until the day my mother came to watch our performance. She said I had a mean look on my face when I played the drum. I couldn't maintain my xinxing and started to look for excuses. I told her I had been walking and playing for over two hours and that I simply didn't have any strength left for putting a smile on my face. I even had the thought that my mother wasn't being considerate. My mom didn't say anything more, and just left me alone.
When I went back to my room, I thought about it again and realized that she was right. If I was watching the parade, how would I feel if I saw a mean and bitter looking person performing? Don't we want to bring the greatness of Dafa to the audience? Then how can I achieve that goal with a scowl on my face?
After that, I always told myself to smile and share the greatness of Dafa with everyone fortunate enough to see or hear us. Thus, I improved little by little. Whenever I did well and smiled happily, my mother encouraged me, too.
Sometimes after playing the drum for a long time, the string tied between my little finger and the drum stick would cut into my finger. If I had to play again before it had chance to heal completely, the string would rip open the scab and rub on the wound, making it bleed again. When the pain annoyed me and I started to lose energy, I would think about Teacher's poem for the waist drum teams,
"Each thump-thump of Fa Drums is Zhen-Shan-Ren"
("Waist-Drum Team" from Hong Yin Volume II)
Then I would remind myself to bring "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" through each thump-thump of my drum. Once my righteous thoughts emerge, I become energetic and no longer feel tired, thirsty, or bothered by the pain in my finger.
Now when I play with practitioners from other areas and see them play with their hearts, I am always moved to tears. No matter how well they play, they are all beautiful in my eyes. When I see the audience clapping their hands for us and practitioners distributing flyers along the way, I smile from the bottom of my heart. I no longer have to force myself to smile.
When playing in a parade, I often say to my fellow waist drum team members in my heart, "Thank you. I am proud to be a member of the team and play with all of you. We have the same goal of exposing the evil and bringing Dafa's greatness to people. No matter if it is baking hot or stormy, no matter if the way is long or short, we always play together to the finish line. Thank you."
I hope our waist drum team will play better and better. Wherever we go, we will bring the greatness of Dafa and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" to everyone lucky enough to see and hear us.
This is purely my personal understanding. Please point out any errors.
