(Minghui.org) I am a young Falun Dafa practitioner, and I began cultivating in 2017. Over the years, I’ve understood that thinking of others is actually thinking of oneself. I’d like to tell you about some of my experiences.
Choosing With Others in Mind
I grew up practicing Falun Dafa with my mother, and I knew that Dafa is good. I tried to conduct myself according to Dafa’s principles, but I hadn’t formally begun practicing.
When I applied for graduate school, many students applied to work under Professor Wang, a doctoral advisor. Only four applicants advanced to the interview stage, but there was only one available position. I ranked fourth in the initial exam. When I contacted Professor Wang in advance, I was told that he had already decided to accept the top-ranking student.
Seeing that my chances were slim, I contacted other professors to see if any of them had available positions. Only one doctoral advisor was willing to give me a position, but he no longer planned to recruit students that year, and he asked me to look for another advisor.
I contacted Professor Wang again, and he was very pleased. However, he gave me two options: one was to study under him; the other was to study under a master’s advisor who urgently needed a student but did not have formal recruitment qualifications.
Most students would have chosen a doctoral advisor who offered greater prestige, more resources, and the possibility of continuing toward a doctorate. But I realized this advisor truly needed a student, so I chose to study under him.
Later events proved how correct this choice was. Because I was his only student, he devoted all his energy to helping me. During my master’s studies, the papers I published met the requirements for me to graduate with a doctor’s degree. He and his wife treated me like their own child and cared for me in every possible way. We eventually became like family.
I later transferred to a doctoral program under Professor Wang “in name,” but I continued studying with my original advisor. I completed my doctorate without any problems. Meanwhile, the student who had originally ranked first under Professor Wang struggled, as his advisor was very busy and had many students. Lacking guidance, that student eventually came to my advisor for help in designing experiments—he barely completed a master’s degree, and he did not dare pursue a doctorate.
Looking back, I realized that by thinking of my advisor first, I ultimately benefited.
Keeping Others in Mind While Seeking Employment
After I graduated, I faced another choice. One option was teaching in a regular junior high school in a second-tier school district, with few students and a weak school culture. The other was teaching in a high-quality high school in a top district, with a strong academic atmosphere and an international program.
For most people, the choice would have been obvious. Yet after much deliberation, I chose to teach in the junior high school. Why? The principal was eager to improve the school and strongly wished to recruit a doctoral-level teacher.
Most schools sign three-year contracts, and many new teachers treat their positions as temporary stepping stones. However, this junior high school offered a ten-year contract, effectively binding teachers long-term.
My workload was heavy. In addition to teaching my main subject, I also taught elementary-level classes and handled physically demanding lab technician duties. Many people spoke up for me, feeling the arrangement was unfair. I remained calm and treated it as an opportunity to improve my character.
Over the years, the school developed rapidly, student enrollment increased, and my work became increasingly easy. After the COVID pandemic, my city began implementing a teacher exit mechanism—essentially a form of downsizing. Schools with fewer students encouraged teachers to leave.
Because I had a long-term contract and taught many students, my position was secure. Even the vice principal commented that my choice back then now seemed very wise. I know that all of this was arranged by Master. Because I considered the principal and the school first, I ultimately became the beneficiary.
Small Examples From Daily Life
I served as an academic coordinator for a year and was responsible for scheduling classes for an entire grade. Since schedules affect teachers’ personal interests, this was not an easy task. Each teacher had different preferences: some did not want early mornings, others needed to leave early, some wanted classes grouped together, and still others avoided Monday mornings or afternoon sessions.
After repeated adjustments, I assigned the unpopular time slots to myself. I focused on satisfying others rather than what was convenient for me. When the schedule was finalized and everyone was satisfied, I reviewed my own timetable.
At first, I worried that teaching four classes on alternating weeks would disrupt progress and make lab preparation difficult. But when I marked out my classes, I was astonished. All four classes were perfectly synchronized, rotating smoothly every two weeks—the arrangement was better than if I'd done it intentionally.
I shared this with a colleague who knows that I practice Falun Dafa. She said, “How do you say those words again?” I told her, “Falun Dafa is good, and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She smiled and said, “I’ll try it, too.”
Office Relocation and Unexpected Blessings
Our grade was recently moved to a new floor, requiring office changes. Initially, another teacher took my assigned desk, leaving me without a workstation. I told my friend not to argue on my behalf, and I said I could work anywhere.
I was temporarily placed in an office with the music and art teachers, then later I was moved to a laboratory office filled with strong odors from specimens and poor ventilation. The circumstances were uncomfortable, and it was hard to communicate with my colleagues.
Eventually, I requested a reassignment. Unexpectedly, I was placed back in a quiet office where I now work mostly alone. With a password-locked door and no interruptions, I can study the Fa peacefully every day.
I later learned that the office I was originally supposed to occupy became infested with mice. My colleagues told me, “It’s good you didn’t end up there—your current office is much better.” I deeply appreciated Master’s careful arrangements and once again realized that thinking of others is truly thinking of oneself.
Closing Thoughts
Over the years, there have been countless similar experiences. Perhaps this is a small manifestation, in the human world, of the wonderful realm of “considering others first.”
Thank you, Master Li.
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