(Minghui.org) Reading the three recent notices from the Minghui Editorial Board, I could feel the countdown ticking for the submission of articles to commemorate World Falun Dafa Day 2016. Only a few weeks remain for submissions and time flies by quickly if we slack off, even just a little bit, not to mention other sources of interference.
Master has reminded us that “each opportunity will not occur again.” (“Digging Out the Roots” from Essentials For Further Advancement). And I would like to share a bit of my thought process in submitting an article along with a few other practitioners last year.
Enlightening to the Importance of Writing Sharing Articles
I wanted to write an article last year after reading the “call for submissions” but I found it rather difficult. One day, I read a sharing that encouraged others to submit articles. I was deeply touched and thought: “Indeed, submitting sharing articles is also part of our historic mission of saving sentient beings.”
The next morning, before I did the exercises, I thought about this again and the perfect opening sentence flashed into my mind. Tears ran down my face as I recalled various memorable days of my practice. I have benefited so much from Dafa, so why is it so hard for me to submit a sharing article?
I should have submitted a sharing article a long time ago – after all, I've cultivated for over ten years. I felt really ashamed and found many attachments I still held onto.
For instance, I was dependent on others. I thought that since there are many capable Dafa disciples, others will write even if I don't. I told myself that I was getting old and I'm not very good at writing. I knew that I typed slowly with one finger only, and so it would be too time consuming for me. Many excuses came up to try and discourage me.
Finally, I resolutely wrote on a piece of paper: “I'm a particle of Dafa. With Master and the Fa with me, I can write a submission and I can write it well!”
Overcoming Interference
Even though I had a strong desire to write and began to plan things out, I experienced much interference. Ten days went by and I still had not started. My true self wanted to write, but a “false self” made me too busy to write. Whenever I was about to write, something would always keep me from sticking to the task.
I was walking out of a subway station one day when a burst of sharp pain paralyzed my leg. A few passers-by wanted to help me, but I declined their offer politely. I started to search within myself and send righteous thoughts to negate all the arrangements by the old forces.
I also asked Master to help me in my heart. Eventually, I managed to get back to my apartment building. I didn't ask for any help when my neighbors passed by, as I was determined not to give the old forces any excuse by seeking external help.
It took me more than twenty minutes to hobble up to the fourth floor where I lived. When I opened the door, I could walk normally again. I could feel that Master was helping me.
Just as I wanted to sit down and study the Fa, a fellow practitioner came. Her mother was suffering from serious sickness karma and she wanted to talk to me about it. Immediately, I sat down in full lotus position and listened to her.
She was very touched when she saw that my leg was still in pain, and said to me in tears upon leaving: “I didn't even help you.”
I replied, “There is no need to help me. We won't accept this [the pain in my leg].”
The next day, when my children learned about my condition, they blamed me for not telling them earlier. My nephew also offered to find me a chiropractor. I told them this was a test I must pass and that I could overcome it.
They all respected my decision because they had all learned the facts about Falun Dafa.
My neighbor is also a practitioner. When she saw me, she said, “This [my pain in the leg] is to stop you from writing the article.”
I knew Master was giving me a hint through her words. I would not accept it and I would turn this tribulation into a good thing. By then, my leg had become swollen. I knew it was merely an illusion. I focused on studying the Fa more and looking within.
I realized my loophole – I had an attachment to personal gain and wanted to go to the bank to transfer money for my children. I started to send righteous thoughts to clear out my own dimensional field and worked only on my sharing article.
In order to broaden my way of thinking, I went to see a few fellow practitioners by bus, still limping on one leg. I also ran into a practitioner I hadn't seen for a long time, and felt very thankful to Master for the arrangement as I really wanted to see her. I also met a few others I wanted to see with no trouble.
Finishing the Entire Article By Myself
After I finished the draft, I wanted to make sure that the article could validate the Fa well, so I traveled dozens of miles to seek an opinion from a young practitioner who used to teach Chinese.
He read my sharing and said, “Aunty, this is so well-written!”
I was greatly encouraged. But the deadline was approaching and I wasn't quite finished with the ending, so I asked the young practitioner to help me finish it. He finished it quickly on the spot.
After I got back home, I felt more and more uncomfortable about what I did and realized that I had attachments to finishing the sharing. I had just wanted to go through the motions and finish the task carelessly.
I sent righteous thoughts to dissolve all these bad thoughts and purified my dimensional field. Then, I started writing the ending myself. It took me one hour to finish. It was a good ending that I felt very touched by.
With the help of fellow practitioners and hints from Master, I submitted the article on time. I did not hold any anxious expectations as in the past. I just felt that I did something I should do. That night, when I saw my article published on the Minghui website, tears kept running down my face.
It wasn't a feeling of happiness, but a deep, muted aching. I have been on the path of cultivation for twenty years, with various ups and downs, but Master never gave up on me and always protected me and even gave me hints from time to time.
My submission was much delayed. I didn't do well, and looking back, I have many regrets behind me.
Wisdom Comes from the Fa
I understand that the process of writing a sharing article is a cultivation process and a process of dissolving interference. The wisdom in writing comes from Dafa.
At the beginning, I wrote an outline. But when I sat down in front of my computer and started typing, what came to my mind was quite different from what I had written in the outline. Some sentences were very moving, even to me.
A number of times during writing, I found myself with tears in my eyes and had to calm down on the balcony. When I finished and read it through, I could not believe that these sentences were my own writing, and thought that I must've subconsciously borrowed from the sharing articles I read on the Minghui website.
So I went to check online, but it turned out that this was indeed my own original writing. I realized that all this wisdom was bestowed upon me by Master. As long as I have the heart to write, Master would help me.
Since then, I felt a very strong energy field wrapping around me when I did the exercises. I felt as if I returned to the diligent state I was in when I first obtained the Fa. I had never felt this way before I wrote the sharing article. It's really a wonderful feeling.
Do Not Miss the Submission Deadline
Less than one month remains before the deadline for this year's submissions. I will draw a lesson from the past and try to submit my sharing ahead of time.
World Falun Dafa Day is a festival for all sentient beings in the universe and a grand celebration for us Dafa disciples. We are very fortunate to be blessed by the Creator. No human language is sufficient to express our immense gratitude to our revered Master. Let us base our hearts on the Fa and care for all sentient beings, and write out more brilliant experiences to validate the wonders of Dafa and the beauty of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Please kindly point out anything improper in my sharing.
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Category: Improving Oneself
