Political Warfare Bureau,M.N.D.PostDate: 2017/05/01

Spend precious time on anything worthy, and light up your life

Maintain healthy situations, keep learning and practicing virtues, and reconcile resentments with love.

By Liao Jihua, Counselor, Mental Health Center, South Region, Ministry of National Defense

On a Sunday morning, I got up early and wandered around at will.  There were few cars driving on the road.  I could even smell leisure in the fresh air, and enjoyed being able to relax without the pressure of work.  I saw several women nearby collecting recyclable materials along the road.  With smiles on faces, these women didn’t seem to fear the dirty materials.  I was very curious, and stepped forward to talk to them.  One of them enthusiastically told me “The tall lady is a retired elementary school teacher, the chubby one is the wife of a business owner, and I am an unemployed housekeeper.”   The others giggled, pointed to the housekeeper, and said “Unemployed?  You’re the model of industry.”  Everyone seemed to compete at telling me the merits of environmental protection.  I saw the most beautiful hearts and the wisest lives in the whole world from their passionate smiles. 

At work, I often come into contact with volunteers who touch my heart by their unselfishness and passion.  For example, Mrs. Wen has raised three children on her own since she was young.  Her husband did not go to work, and asked her for money all the time.  Without any complaint, she worked as a nurse’s aide, a housecleaner and a babysitter to support the whole family.  When the children grew up, and the household’s economic demands became lighter, it was terribly ironic that she found that she had blood cancer.  In soap opera plots, she would have been knocked down by the misery of life.  On the contrary, she refused to accept her apparent Destiny.  With her nursing specialty, she works as a volunteer at the hospital to take care of the elderly who are helpless and unsupported by any family.  She helps the elderly by cleaning them and turning their bodies over.  Some elderly people smell, and everyone avoids touching them.  However, just like an angel, and without complaints of sour smells, Mrs. Wen enthusiastically and warmly takes care of those poor elderly who cannot afford to hire a private nurse.  There was another thing that deeply impressed me.  One day, a seriously ill vagrant was sent to the emergency room of the hospital.  Because he smelled terribly, the doctors and nurses needed to bear the smell when they attended to him.  When he was sent to the ward, Mrs. Wen cleaned his body and put clean clothes on him.  Although he could not say a word, the patient held Mrs. Wen’s hands and shed tears.  However, he died that night.  I figured that the vagrant was clean and comfortable in the bed, and past away peacefully.  Mrs. Wen helped more people with her love.  I saw Mrs. Wen’s unlimited extension of love.  And I saw her lighting up and coloring her black and white life.

There are several secrets which I like to share with you as follows for coloring your limited life:

1. Fill your heart with love:  Put aside the complaints and resentments.  Let the seed of love germinate in your heart.  You should treat everyone nicely and everything surrounding you.  You will definitely get love in return. 

2. Open your heart to learning:  Staying open to learning can keep you up to date and activate your thoughts.  Most importantly, learning keeps you young forever.

3. Remind yourself to do one nice thing, and say a good word everyday:  Make

practicing virtues a permanent part of your life. Even a tiny good deed can fill your life with joy.

4.Cultivate the habit of regular exercise:  Taking regular exercise is good for your health; in this way you can enjoy your beautiful life.  

Although life is short, in the unlimited universe, if you choose to, you can paint beautiful colors on the canvas of your life.  Just like Picasso’s paintings, your masterpiece will be continuously passed on to future generations.

The article is extracted from Page 3 of Youth Daily News on 8 December 2006.