(Minghui.org) I am 21 years old and I have practiced Falun Dafa for 21 years. I have grown up under Master's merciful protection. It has been a smooth ride walking on the path arranged by Master. As I feel so privileged, I would like to tell a few stories to express my gratitude towards Master and Dafa.
I don't remember much about my childhood. Since I could remember, my mind was filled with Dafa. I heard from my mother and others that I was very well-behaved. When I first learned to walk, while practitioners were doing the standing exercises, I would walk around them quietly. I would hold onto one adult's leg and played by myself for a little bit and went on to hug another adult's leg. I did not cause any trouble at all. My mother took me with her to post truth clarification materials around town and I would be reciting the formulas for sending forth righteous thoughts and my mind was filled with that as well. At home, Mom would teach me poems from Hong Yin while she was doing housework. I would follow her without knowing what they meant, but I would not add any of my own thoughts to the poems, either. To date, while riding the bus or waiting to board one, I have been reciting the poems in my mind. As I do so, I gradually understand the magnificence of Master and the thoughts and care that he puts into saving sentient beings.
As I grew older, I was able to study the Fa teachings with Mom and Dad. As I participated in group study daily, I have read Zhuan Falun many times. At the time, my language teacher assigned a lot of homework. I never did pay a lot of attention to these assignments, but I always got good grades because I was studying the Fa from an early age. My teachers would also praise me and required my classmates to learn from me. I thought I was smart then, but I realized that it was because I had been reading Zhuan Falun since I was little. I have developed the ability to read any article fluently and accurately at first sight.
After my parents were rounded up by the evil, my mom did not return home for a long time. I could only sleep holding my mom's photo when I missed her. When I was watching the NTDTV Chinese New Year Global Gala, I would not want to watch the program about how Dafa practitioners were persecuted. Tears would stream down my face. My dad was not in a good mood during that time. In winter when I came home from school, it was dark. I would cry my heart out on my way home and my mask would be frozen with my tears and stuck to my face. As soon as I got home, I would put down my backpack, wash my face and sit with my dad smiling and telling him what fun I had at school.
My grades suffered a lot then. Every time my uncle (my mom's brother) saw me, he would be very angry. He would say, “This perfect child's life has been ruined by her parents!” I didn't think much about what he said. Whenever I introduced my mom to the others, I was so proud. I did not miss anything in my family. Other parents commented that I was a good kid from a happy and well-mannered family. Even my friends who knew my situation said, “Your mother is a hero!”
Soon I reached the age to prepare for the national matriculation exams. I didn't earn good marks ever since I graduated from elementary school. It was not uncommon that I had a single digit mark for my math exams. So I was a little worried and asked my dad to get a retired math teacher to tutor me. I went there every evening. He didn't teach me; he only gave me some problems to solve while he took a nap. I did it for a week, but I couldn't bear it any longer. I would sometimes go out to have fun while my tutor was dozing off. Later, I did not go anymore. I just handed in a test paper for him to look at. When it was time to sit for the exam, I went with a calm mind, as I knew where my level was.
I want to add, that growing up, whenever I had any problems, I would think about Master and Dafa. I offered incense to Master and requested his assistance to unlock my intelligence and wisdom. I kowtowed to him, repeating, “Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” Off I went to the exam venue. When I got the test papers, I talked to them in my mind: I am a Dafa practitioner. Please help me. Please say Falun Dafa is good and assimilate to Dafa. When I got the results, I was shocked – I had the best marks in my three years of senior secondary school and my math marks were better than my language marks, which was my strongest subject.
I didn't realize just how lucky I was until they announced the cutoff for degree programs. I was three marks higher than the the cutoff line. I could go straight to a university if I wanted. I never imagined that I could achieve that.
By the time the matriculation exams were over, my dad had been kidnapped again. It was my dad who helped me decide which university to go to. Without him, I didn't know which university to choose. So I just picked the one in a city that I liked. It was very competitive, as it was a good university. There were only 20 spots and there are 30 of us in the pool, and I was among the lowest marks. But I refused to give up although I was very anxious. I waited and waited, requesting Master's assistance. Miraculously, I became the 20th student accepted. I had tears of joy in my eyes, knowing that I had been accepted to my favorite university.
I continued to study the Fa often and do the exercises whenever I could while in college. I clarified the truth to my roommates and friends. They all withdrew from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. I held myself to the standard of Falun Dafa disciples while steadfastly walking on the path arranged by Master. I got along really well with my roommate because I treated her kindly, like a practitioner should. Influenced by me, she also treated others with tolerance.
Three years later, everyone around me was applying for internships. I did the same, but without being too attached to it. I worked on my resume and posted it online. Before I started university, I passed the interview at a big company and I was torn as to whether I should go or not. My mom reminded me to take things as they come, and that if it was meant to be mine, I would get it. After the conversation with my mom, I decided to go to graduate school instead.
I was contacted by the HR department of a well-known company after I posted my resume and was given an interview. I understood that it was hard to get hired by this company so I asked for the advice of many of my elders and also talked to those who failed the interviews about the hiring process. It sounded really hard, so I spent a lot of time preparing for it and I was under a lot of stress. When I got to the interview, the interviewer was very kind. They did not ask any of the questions that I had prepared for. Instead they asked me how I would get along with other people and if I understand people around me. I answered, the key to getting along with other people is to treat them with kindness and that what I know about people around me are what they want me to see. My interview finished on a very light note. Soon after I left the interview, I got a phone call from the HR department that I had been hired.
This was such a nice surprise! I got accepted by my favorite university despite my mediocre academic performance and now I got my dream job! A few days later, one of my friends heard about my experience and she applied to the same company as well. When she got out of the interview, she called me and told me how hard it was and that due to a small mistake, she failed the interview. She repeatedly told me that the company was very strict.
I know that at all the tipping points, I moved forward easily with Master's protection. I realized how very lucky I am as a Dafa practitioner.
Compared with other young people, the only difference is that I have Master's protection. Because of Dafa, my life has taken a different path. I benefited from Dafa's power and Master's protection. As a result, no matter where I am, good or bad, I feel lucky and happy. I hope everyone knows the beauty of Falun Dafa and be as happy, healthy and fortunate as I am.
Thank you, Master.