Finding The Miracles In Life's Struggles
Posts tagged motivational
Short Stories of Enlightenment
01 month
The original text of this article was in Chinese, and the author is unknown.
During an enemy attack, a soldier found a cave to take cover in. The enemy was trying to chase him so he went into the cave, praying that they wouldn’t see him there. All of a sudden, he felt a spider bite him. He was about to kill the spider, but he felt merciful and let the spider go. The spider climbed over to the opening of the cave and started to spin the web over the entrance. The enemy came up to the cave and saw that the web was untouched, so they figured nobody was in the cave. Thus, the soldier’s life was saved.
Enlightenment: Sometimes, when we help others we end up helping ourselves as well.
A father lost his pocket watch and searched everywhere for it. But, try as he might, he couldn’t find it after many hours. After he had left the room, his son came in and found it right away. His father asked, “How did you discover it?” He replied, “I just sat there quietly until I could hear the tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock.”
The image is from Gentleman’s Gazette(The Pocket Watch Primer)
Enlightenment: Sometimes, if we are too busy and anxious trying to find something we want, we fail. But if we quiet down, we not only get what we want, but we also hear our inner voice.
There was a traveler who stopped by a temple and saw a monk. He asked him, “Before you became an enlightened monk, what do you do?” The monk replied, “I chop wood, carry water, and cook.” The traveler said, “What about after you became a monk? What do you do now?” The monk said, “I chop wood, carry water, and cook.” The traveler asked, “So there is no difference?” The old monk said, “Before becoming a monk, when I chop wood, I would worry about carrying water. When I carried the water, I would worry about cooking. When I was cooking, I would worry about chopping wood. But after becoming a monk, when I chop the wood, I just chop the wood. When I carry the water, I just carry the water. When I cook, I just cook.”
The image from ANTHONY ZOLEZZI | Chopping Wood
Enlightenment: We must live in the present; the “Dao” is very simple. We just need to use our common sense to understand it.
If you hold a 25-pound child, you won’t feel tired because you love him. But if 25 pounds of stone has replaced this child, I’m sure you will tire much more quickly.
The image is from How to Hold a Baby | Infant Care
Enlightenment: If a person doesn’t like what they are doing, no matter how talented or smart they are, they cannot fully develop their potential. But if they like what they do, then you will be surprised to see how much their ability has increased. A lot of times, if we don’t achieve something, it is not because we are not capable. It may not be in our favor or our interest.
During the Second World War, a Jewish family was being prosecuted. The family’s two sons went out to seek help. The older son looked for someone who helped him before while, the younger one went to look for someone he had helped before. In the end, the older son was rescued, but the younger son was betrayed.
Enlightenment: Whoever loves you will continue to help you willingly. But whomever you love will not necessary always do the same.
A robin was flying to the east when he met a dove. They rested on a tree, and the dove asked the robin where he was going. He replied, “I don’t want to leave. But the residents of this neighborhood said that my song is ugly.” The dove said, “Don’t try so hard. If you can never change your voice, wherever you go, you will not be welcome .”
The image is from American Robin, Identification
Enlightenment: We cannot change our environment, only ourselves.
A donkey fell into a dry well. People tried to save him, but it was impossible, so they decided to bury the donkey there. At first, the donkey cried sadly when he felt the soil on his back, after a while; he fell silent. Then the donkey started to shake off the dirt when it hit his back and stomped it under his foot. Gradually, the soil under his feet made him move higher and higher. With the increased height, he was able to jump out of the well, to everyone’s surprise.
Enlightenment: When life throws challenges at us, we have a choice. We can cry, complain, and idle. Or we can take action by shaking off the dirt that is thrown on us and move upward.
Do You Know Feng Shui?
05 months
by Alice Lin
in Translated article
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Did you know? Feng Shui is not just for ancestral graves, and not just for the house.
What is Feng Shui? “Feng” in Chinese means “wind, ” and “Shui” means “water.”
“Wind” is the atmosphere and energy, whereas “water” implies the flow and change.
What is the principle of Feng Shui? As it says, “All laws start from the heart .” It is not complicated because the greatest truths are the simplest.
When we talk about Feng Shui, we need to understand how it relates to a person.
The first element in Feng Shui is the human being.
The first element of Feng Shui in the human being is the heart.
The second element of Feng Shui in the human being is the mouth.
The third element of Feng Shui in the human being is the behavior.
Think of human kindness, and the goodness of the others; we say that light gathers. The light moves upward and shows in your face. Because your smiling face is like a yuan bao (a Chinese token of wealth made of gold), and your mouth is shaped like a lotus, it is understandable that you would gain fortune.
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If you think the worst of others, complain and act jealous, then you collect the chi of negativism. This negative chi travels down and gives you an unhappy face. It inevitably brings you bad luck.
Feng Shui is the source of filial piety worship. It is deeply rooted in it, and therefore it helps growth. It gives rise to the prosperity of your business and your family. You will always receive help, and everything will be flourishing for you.
On the contrary, if a person does not practice filial piety, he will not be able to hold a high position because he does not know how to respect the filial piety, colleagues, and in turn, all people. His daily life and work will not be smooth, he will encounter frustration in life again and again, and he will lose at crucial moments.
A blessed one lives in a blessed land. If you are blessed, then wherever your residence is, it will undoubtedly be a blessed place.
Therefore, the most important thing in Feng Shui is to change yourself and your heart for the good. Any problems caused by Feng Shui, such as illness, will naturally disappear.
We all know Feng Shui can help you naturally, but you can also make Feng Shui work through your actions.
Image of lotus is from 台灣之美~2011桃園蓮花季
You will be blessed upon giving. Things will turn smooth upon gratifying. Likewise, you will have more luck upon helping others. You will be more self-content and have more joy. Those who avoid you will not be able to, and the more you share, the more friends you will make.
If you are angry, you will attract more disease;
If you take advantage of others, you will fall into poverty more and more;
If you give, you will accumulate wealth more and more;
If you are lazy and just like to enjoy yourself, you will suffer more and more pain;
If you like to learn, you will gain wisdom more and more.
To truly enjoy your blessing is to realize that you are blessed, and cherish these blessings, then continue to cultivate more blessings.
You must also love your friends and family.
Once upon a time, a person invited a master to check his Feng Shui. On the way, they saw birds were swirling in panic far away.
So he asked the master: “Let’s go back. From the birds, we can tell that the children are picking apricots in the tree, and if we do not go back, the kids may fall and get hurt. That would be a disaster.”
Therefore, Mr. Feng Shui told him: “I do not need to check your Feng Shui. You and your family will have a good and smooth life.” The man could not understand, so he asked him why.
The master told him: “Don’t you know? The best Feng Shui lies in human character!”
A good character comes from a kind heart. No wonder it says that the first element of Feng Shui in the human being is the heart.
Note:
The original text is from http://item.btime.com/wm/03u3t375malkc44vqe5ijkkissn. It is in Chinese.
I think this article will help the readers understand “Feng Shui” better, so I translated it into English to share with you. Hope you will enjoy this post.
The Angel Who Lost Wings
09 months
Once upon a time, there was a couple that had been so in love that they wanted to share that love with a small bundle of joy. So, they tried their best to have a baby and, to their delight, succeeded. But after the baby was born, they realized he wasn’t developing as quickly as he should have. When he was taken for tests a few years later, it was discovered that he had autism.
Upon this realization, the father started coming home later and later, leaving the mother alone with the child all day. One day, he came home drunk, alcohol on his breath, and suggested to his wife having another baby. Not long after, she discovered she was pregnant but worried about this kid having autism as well, considered abortion.
When she found out she was having twins, she knew abortion was out of the question. Soon after she gave birth, the couple discovered they had two healthy, normal baby girls. They had forbidden their autistic son from playing with the girls, as they were worried he might harm them. But one day, the wife noticed him playing with the girls, reaching out for the older one’s hand. Enraged, she scolded him and slapped him, going so far to ask the housekeeper to take him to the other room away from the girls. After she had calmed down and she went to the twins. She was shocked to find the cookie held by her older twin was her boy’s favorite. She realized that her boy was only trying to share his cookies with his sisters. The mother burst into tears shamefully.
Despite how their mother wanted them to treat him, the girls still carried a deep love for their brother. They would teach him how to read and write at home, even in spite of him being bullied at school. One day the older twin couldn’t take it anymore and stand up to the bullies. She yelled, “He’s an angel! He may have lost his wings, but he’s still an angel nonetheless, every bit as sweet and pure. He’s not used to this human world, but he’s still the best brother.”
Reading this Chinese story on the Internet, I can’t help shedding tears, and it reminded me of the song- An angel by Declan Galbraith. In the song, he talks about wishing he were an angel, and he had a pair of wings. I think we are all angels, maybe, sometimes we are not perfect -we lose our wings but we are still angels.
I wish I had your pair of wings
Had them last night in my dreams
I was chasing butterflies
Till the sunrise broke my eyes
Tonight the sky has glued my eyes
Cause what they see’s an angel hive
I’ve got to touch that magic sky
And greet the angels in their hive
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
And all the sweet honey from above
Pour it all over me sweet love
And while you’re flying around my head
Your honey kisses keep me fed
I wish I had a pair of wings
Just like last night in my dreams
I was lost in paradise
I wish I’d never opened my eyes
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
But there’s danger in the air
Tryin’ so hard to be unfair
Danger’s in the air
Tryin’ so hard to give us a scare
But we’re not afraid
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
I wish I were you
I wish I were you
Prayer
010 months
by Alice Lin
in My Life Story
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My friends often ask me how I pray. I don’t remember where I got the idea or how I started my technique, but I use nine bells on a wooden tray I found in my house and a candle with the flame inside the glass. Before I pray, I bow to heaven and earth, and then the sun and moon, and then to my parents. After I bow, I sit there and close my eyes. Before I pray, I ask for peace and blessings. I ask God to help the problems we encounter. As time goes on, I feel the divinity knows what we want and what we need. We do not need to ask for our sake. Gradually, I pray for the goodness of the people in this world.
Recently, I have been quiet. I have enjoyed that peace and quietness. Every time I have this communion with God, the birds always sing. After the prayer, I always ring the bells. At first, I could not understand why someone suggested using bells. The divinity did not need us to awaken it. But I thought it might awaken the people of the world. The people reside in the north, the south, the east, and the west. Yes, the people from all four corners of the world. And then, one day, the Voice told me, “The bells awaken the souls of the people. The human beings in the flesh separate themselves by race, religion, gender, country and every other kind of boundary. But their souls do not discriminate. That’s why you only need to pray for their souls.”
I heard this a few months ago, and it still rings true. More violence has happened in this world because of these distinctions by color, race, religion, country, etc. With this all happening now, I do my part in praying for everyone. In ringing the bell, maybe, just perhaps, the soul of the people will be awakened, and we will no longer have all this separation. We can live in harmony in this precious world.
Countdown
01 year
by Alice Lin
in Translated article
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(The original text is in Chinese, and the author is unknown. I do love this story very much, so I will share it with you.)
I love my family, and my girlfriend very much. That is, I thought I did.
My job involves investment consultation. I check stocks all over the world, be it in Hong Kong or America. It’s a time-consuming job, but I try to spend my remaining time with my family. But the reality was that I didn’t have much time for them. I knew they understood my situation, and they always tried to accommodate.
It’s almost my birthday. This year, since I was too busy to go back home, I decided to take a peaceful day for myself at a hotel.
As I sat on the hotel balcony, the wind blew. The evening sky made the whole world seem at peace. Suddenly, a strange voice said, “Young man, I will give you a special birthday gift. You may ask for anything.” I thought it must have been a dream. I smiled and asked, “Are you God? Can I ask for anything I want?” He replied yes. I asked, “Can I have special eyes to see when stocks will go up and come down?” He said, “No problem.”
I thought nothing of it. The next day, when I went back to the battlefield that was my job, I saw the stocks I wanted to bet on and, all of a sudden, I saw “3” on top of the stocks. Three days later, the stocks came crashing down. My birthday gift was real.
I used my gift well and made a lot of money. But it had been a while since I saw my family and my girlfriend, so I decided to take some time off work. When I came home, my mother asked if I could join them tomorrow for my father’s birthday. But my father hurried to say, “Don’t worry, you don’t need to come back if you’re busy with work.” I put down my suitcase and made my way to the living room. I told him, “If I can find the time, I will.”
But on top of my father’s head, a very shiny “35” appeared. In a state of shock, I headed back to my room. My dad only had 35 days left to live. I decided to stay for his birthday. When I finally came out of my room, I peeked into my parents’ room and saw that they had fallen asleep. I walked into the room and started to cry.
The next day, I was having breakfast with my parents when I saw that my father’s number read “34.” I only had 34 days left to see him. Then, I saw my mom’s head with the number “45.” I realized those numbers were counting down the days I had left with my family. It hurt to see those figures.
Several days later, my girlfriend finally called me and asked to see me. We met up at a coffee shop. I waited and waited. After half an hour, my girlfriend finally showed up. But there was a “1” on top of her head, and a man was with her. After this meeting, I never saw her again.
A week later, I quit my job. I used my savings to take my parents on a trip. As time passed, the number on my father’s head dwindled down into the single digits. As time passed, I tried to avoid facing him. I kept my head down because I didn’t want to see the number “3.” Then “2.” Then “1.”
I left my father’s hospital room. Walking out into the street, I could barely see anything because my eyes were filled with tears. Outside of the hospital, I saw my mother, I saw a “1” appear on top of her head after I wiped out of my tears.
“Mom…” I turned around to look at the people around me. Every single one of them had the shining number “1” on their head. I was shocked. I backed up into the street. That was when I saw the bus coming toward me. I couldn’t react. Everything went dark.
Bright light…very bright… it hit my eyes. Oh, it was dawn.
I was still on the balcony of the hotel. Thankful for the birthday gift, I finally realized what was important in life. Now I know how I am continuing my life journey. We don’t need to see the countdown treasure our loved ones. We have to take every opportunity to love them because we don’t know what will be coming next.
