(Minghui.org) I’m 62 years old. I only attended elementary school and have no experience writing an article. I don’t even know how to use punctuation correctly. All my fellow practitioners are in their 70s, and most are uneducated.
After the Minghui website called for articles to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day this year, I wanted to submit an article because I realized this was a rare opportunity to improve my cultivation.
However, I felt that I hadn’t cultivated well and had nothing to write about, so I wrote some words of gratitude to Master and sent them to Ming, who can circumvent the CCP’s firewall (Chinese Communist Party) and submit articles to the Minghui website. Ming responded to what I wrote, saying, “I feel your writing is hollow and a bit apathetic. You have been practicing for over 20 years, so you must have had many cultivation experiences.”
I decided to rewrite my submission. I carefully read the requirements, wrote a new article, and sent it to Ming. This time she told me that there were too many negative things and gave me some suggestions for revision. I revised it again, and she submitted it to the Minghui website without further comments.
While writing and revising, I felt that I was improving. I realized that I did not believe in Master and the Fa 100 percent, and that I could not differentiate between my true self and my notions. I also understood that the process of writing an article can help me identify and eliminate my notions and attachments. From my experience I was inspired to help the other practitioners write about their experiences so that we could all improve.
I told the others my idea. They were all very happy, saying they also wanted to write sharing articles but didn’t know how. Some said, “Master must have sent you to help us because we haven’t written anything before.”
While helping practitioners write articles, I eliminated many human notions, let go of my ego, and learned to be thankful.
Helping Others Is a Cultivation Opportunity
Ava, who attended my Fa study group, said she would write an article. I reminded her to start writing as soon as possible so that the Minghui editors would have time to review it. However, she did not start writing until a month later. With only five days left before the submission deadline, she called and asked me to come to her home and discuss the article.
I went to her home the following day. She said that another practitioner Chen submitted her article to the Minghui website, but she wasn’t happy because Chen revised it. Ava changed Chen’s version and asked Chen to submit it again, but Chen said an article could not be submitted twice. That’s why Ava asked me to help her.
I said, “Chen is right because an article cannot be submitted twice without significant changes.” Ava said she changed her article a lot, and insisted that no one could revise it because it was her report to Master and that if others revised it, it would no longer be her sharing. When I got home, I looked at her version and found many problems. As a practitioner, I had to be responsible to the Minghui website and could not submit it as it was.
However, I thought about how hard it was for Ava to write an article and how much effort she put into it. She would be very disappointed and hurt if I didn’t help submit her work. At the same time, I felt that Ava’s ego was rather strong.
Master said,
“Nothing that you encounter is by chance, and quite possibly each and every thing was arranged as it is in history. So, don’t underestimate what you do or work on. Everything may seem completely ordinary, and not seem to have any special significance, but, in other dimensions, it is bringing about enormous transformations.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2010 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, Vol. XI)
I realized that this situation was no accident, and I must use this opportunity to cultivate myself. Her behavior was a mirror for me. Didn’t her behavior tell me that I also had a strong ego?
I went to Ava’s home the next day and showed her the article I typed out for her. I told her that I hadn’t changed a word but I wanted to discuss it with her. I said, “We are doing this to introduce Dafa to the public, and we are cultivating ourselves. Please do not insist on your own opinion.”
And I told her that I also forward her article to Ming. But she responded, “Tell Ming not to change my article at all.” I was slightly upset, thinking that she was too egotistical. Why couldn’t she tell the Minghui editors that they can’t change her article. However, I immediately realized this was a fighting mentality, which should be removed, so I didn’t say anything else.
When I got home, I looked inward to find out why I felt uncomfortable. Ava’s behavior was an opportunity for me to reflect on my problem. I couldn’t see the areas that she had cultivated well. All I saw were her attachments. Didn’t I see this to help me improve? Instead of looking at the shortcomings of fellow practitioners, I should improve myself. I asked myself, “Why do you feel uncomfortable? Is it because you feel you are wasting your time?” When I realized this, I no longer felt uncomfortable.
At this time, Ming sent the draft back to me. She revised Ava’s article and said, “If I don’t modify her article I can’t submit it.” I read her revision and found it to be quite good.
Knowing the draft was ready, I wanted to submit it directly to the Minghui website without telling Ava. But I also knew there are no small matters in cultivation, and I must be serious and not fool around. So I printed the revised copy and went to Ava’s home.
This time, I thought I had to be responsible for Ava. I couldn’t let her insist on sending her own article, implying that no one else was as good as her. I told Ava, “It’s already the 13th today, so if we don’t submit it now, we won’t have time. Ming has revised it for you. If you think it’s appropriate, we can submit it. However, we can not submit it without making necessary changes.”
Ava still insisted that there was no need to revise it. I said, “That’s what you think. Cultivators have to use the standards of the Fa to measure whether what they are doing is right or wrong, and they have to be serious and responsible in everything they do.”
I continued, “It’s not important whether we write an article. The most important thing is to eliminate our attachments and notions when we see them. I coordinated the writing this time. Two practitioners wouldn’t let me touch their writing, and one of them was you. But I am very thankful to you because you reminded me to look within. I found my ego, which is self-opinionated and superior, looking down on others. All these notions are rooted in jealousy.”
Ava interjected, “Then you have to thank me!” I agreed that I must thank her. She said, “In the future, I will also have to pay attention to eliminating my ego.” After reading the article, she unexpectedly said, “The revisions made by Ming are very good, so you should thank Ming for me!”
On the way home, I felt relieved. I thanked my fellow practitioners from the bottom of my heart for giving me an opportunity to improve.
At home, I carefully examined my words and deeds. On the surface, I was responsible to fellow practitioners. However, subconsciously, I was hiding my attachments to arrogance and pride. I lacked kindness in my communication with other practitioners, and my tone was forceful. I still suffered from the CCP’s indoctrination of believing that I was right and forcing others to do what I wanted.
I am grateful to Master for his painstaking arrangements, to my fellow practitioners for giving me the opportunity to improve, and to the seriousness and responsibility of those practitioners who helped me organize the articles!
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