(Minghui.org) I was studying the section about jealousy in Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Dafa, and couldn’t help but be reminded of two past experiences with jealousy.
I work at a private school. The school’s evaluation procedure for the title of “outstanding teacher” is not open, and no one knows the appraisal criteria and who has been awarded the title until the principal announces it in the assembly and gives out the prizes.
Most people nowadays compete for fame and fortune. The teachers in my school are no different. They are jealous of each other, so nobody dares tell anyone else when they receive a little benefit.
A good friend came to my office and showed me a form she was filling out. It was a registration form for “outstanding teacher” award. She told me that she had been awarded the title.
When my friend told me her good news, I had not yet started practicing Falun Dafa. Although I looked calm on the outside, I felt unbalanced in my heart. Her performance was not better than mine, so I didn’t understand why she was given the award. I was very jealous. I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t congratulate her either.
Real Reason My Friend Was Given the Outstanding Teacher Award
Many people I knew felt they were not recognized and lost face when they didn’t receive the award. My friend isolated herself in the office after the school announced that she won the award. I too remained distant from her and didn’t want to be with her anymore. Others talked about her behind her back. You could cut the atmosphere in the office with a knife. She must have been very upset and lonely.
My behavior was so wrong! If I had practiced Falun Dafa, I wouldn’t have treated her like that. I would have congratulated her. I now realize how valuable Dafa is and how lucky and happy I am to practice it!
I later learned from a colleague why my friend had gotten the “outstanding teacher” award. We are a boarding school, and teachers and students can only take time off once a month. Just before the school appraisal season, my friend’s father-in-law passed away, so my friend requested time off to attend the funeral. However, the principal didn’t approve it, so my friend had to miss her father-in-law’s funeral. Later, when the principal was playing mahjong with his friends, someone talked about this and said the principal should have approved her request. The principal felt guilty, so he gave my friend the “outstanding teacher” award as an apology.
I was shocked to hear that. We all worked so hard for this recognition, but it turned out that our performance didn’t matter at all. So why did we have to compete for it? The competition for fame and fortune was meaningless.
When I read about jealousy in Zhuan Falun, I understood that we should follow the course of nature and remove the attachment of jealousy. I gradually let it go after understanding the Fa principles.
Handling Lack of Recognition with Grace
The second experience was as the team leader of two young teachers who had just graduated. As a Dafa practitioner, I followed the standards of Dafa and did my best at work. I mentored and helped the young teachers. I shared my experiences with them without reservation, so we all got along very well, and my team was consistently ranked at the top.
On Teachers’ Day, the school leaders named the two young teachers on my team as “outstanding teachers.” The awards ceremony was very grand. All the teachers and students were seated on the playground. The teachers who won awards sat in the front rows, and the rest sat in the back.
As the teachers went to the podium to receive their awards and have their photos taken, those who did not receive awards had mixed expressions. Some looked embarrassed and were in low spirits. From time to time, the students also looked over to the back. I was at peace with myself.
Some students later said to me, “Teacher, you should be awarded the title. It was so unfair to give the award to the other two teachers because your group was the excellent teaching group. You were their leader.”
I smiled and said, “It’s fine! I don’t need to be publicly recognized.”
My colleagues said I was unperturbed, which was true. I was happy and relaxed and not jealous at all. I just wanted to do my work well without seeking any returns.
The fact that I could be open and calm was all due to my practicing Falun Dafa! I benefited physically and mentally. Thus, I have to express my gratitude to Master!
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Category: Improving Oneself
