an Opportunity For
Learning
By Sister Zheng-Feng Chang, Volunteer, New York Branch Office
Originally, I was a volunteer class parent at Tzu Chi Academy.
After the events of September 11th, I thought, what else can
I do as a member of Tzu Chi? Because I am fluent in both Cantonese
and English, when Tzu Chi started the relief effort at Pier
94 on September 19th, I signed up to help out as a translator
on the very first day.
Now it has been over a month, and
I don't remember how many times I have been here, but every
time I go through profound and positive experiences. In the
past, I was not very clear on the principles, directness,
and significance behind Tzu Chi's disaster relief efforts.
However, now that I have helped out with the relief efforts,
I understand why the Venerable Master wants the Tzu Chi volunteers
to contribute first hand. Indeed, the Master wishes us to
personally experience the shared concerns and mutual support
amongst mankind. Since participating
in the relief efforts, I perceived the impermanence of life.
I now feel that I am truly blessed. Thus I will cherish my
blessings and my life even more.
Although some people wanted to take
advantage of our generosity during relief fund distribution,
I changed my point of view and looked at these people as providing
learning scenarios for my own cultivation, and I became grateful
again.
After the conversations I had with
all these families of victims, the one that gave me the most
profound impression was with a young mother who had her baby
in her arms. She told me that her home was near a train station
in New Jersey. Every night at 9 o'clock when she hears the
sounds of the train, she would imagine her missing husband
miraculously appearing before her eyes, because her husband
always take that train from the World Trade Center to get
home. Since September 11th, every night she still hears the
moans of the train coming into the station, but her husband
has not shown up. Their two young children are not yet aware
of the misfortune that had befallen upon their father, who
shall never return. When I hear this kind of sad story, sometimes
I can't help but shed tears myself.
