(Minghui.org) It was one of those bitterly cold winter days, the kind that makes you want to stay indoors wrapped in a warm blanket. Instead of staying home I went out with another practitioner to clarify the truth to people about the persecution. After we entered of a high-end residential area I noticed a security guard. He must have been at least six feet tall, in his thirties, and had an air of authority.
The Retired Soldier
As I began to speak, telling him about the beauty of Falun Dafa and the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I could see a shift in his demeanor. Before I mentioned quitting the Party, he pointed to the badge on his arm, and said, “Ma’am, I can’t talk to you about this.”
I couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness, thinking of how unfortunate it would be if he missed this chance to hear the truth. Tears welled up in my eyes as I appealed to him, “You have a special background, but if I don’t tell you, who will? What I’m saying is true, and it’s for your own good!”
He stood there quietly looking at me. Something in my words, or perhaps my sincerity, seemed to touch him. He bent down slightly, his voice softening, “Ma’am, I know you’re trying to persuade me to quit the CCP. People have approached me about this before, but I always refuse. Today, I will quit. I’m a retired soldier; I joined the Party, the Youth League, and the Young Pioneers. It’s cold today. You should go home.”
Relief washed over me as I gave him a pseudonym for his withdrawal, and to my surprise, he smiled, pleased with the name. Just then, another guard came to take over his shift, and the other practitioner and I helped him quit the CCP as well.
The Angry Man on a Snowy Day
Another memory that stands out to me took place during the Chinese New Year, on a day when the world outside was frozen and covered in snow. I talked to a man in his sixties, explaining the truth to him. But instead of listening, he became furious. His face contorted in anger as he pointed a finger at me, ready to scold me sternly. Tears welled up in my eye as I gently told him, “I’m seventy years old. Wouldn’t I rather be comfortably sitting in my warm home? It’s freezing outside, and yet here I go out in the cold so I can tell you the truth—it’s really for your own good. Think about it: what if what I’m saying is true? If you don’t believe me, what will you lose?”
His anger seemed to melt away as he listened. Lowering his hand, he said, “Don’t cry. I believe you. I’ve joined all those organizations, help me quit them.”
I reminded him to remember that “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and reassured him that it was okay if he didn’t believe in Dafa, as long as he didn’t oppose it. He nodded and thanked me, promising not to oppose it.
The Broken Man
In late autumn, during the COVID lockdown when the streets were deserted I met a man in his fifties, limping along carrying a basket—it seemed he had a stroke. His appearance was shocking: his mask was filthy, drool hung in a long string from his mouth. He swayed in the wind, and his clothes were tattered. He was rummaging through a trash can, searching for something to eat. The sight was so repulsive that I looked away.
But then I remembered Master’s words: “Saving people is just that, saving people, and to pick and choose would not be merciful.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume IX)
I knew I couldn’t walk away. Despite my initial reaction, I gathered my courage and approached him, saying, “Your health is so poor, yet you’re still out here? It must be tough.” He looked at me, surprised that someone spoke to him. Slurring his words, he shared his sad story—his wife left him, his children worked far away, and even his relatives avoided him. Most of his pension went towards medicine, and scavenging was the only way he could survive.
I listened, my heart heavy with compassion. I told him, “The CCP doesn’t care about people; for decades, it has only harmed us Chinese. We shouldn’t be associated with it. If you’ve ever joined the Party, Youth League, or Young Pioneers, you should quit to avoid being implicated when it’s destroyed.”
He said he only joined the Young Pioneers, and he agreed to quit. I told him that sincerely reciting “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” could bring him safety. He began to recite the words.
The Mocking Man on a Hot Summer Day
Another memorable encounter took place on a hot summer afternoon. I met an older man, probably in his seventies, his face flushed from either the heat or too much alcohol. As I started talking to him about Falun Dafa, he began to mock me. His behavior made me want to walk away.
But then I reminded myself of my mission. I couldn’t let my personal feelings stop me from saving someone. I said, “Sir, your teasing has gone too far. I want to tell you something.”
He continued to laugh, but I persisted and explained the truths to him. In the end, he agreed, and quit the CCP under a pseudonym.
Looking back, I realize that without the great compassion and forbearance I’ve cultivated through Dafa, I couldn’t have helped any of these people. Compassion has the power to melt even the hardest ice, helping me reach those who seem unreachable and taught me to be tolerant.
Life isn’t about practicing kindness for the sake of receiving good things in return, nor is it about abandoning evil out of fear of retribution. True kindness is without attachment to gain. A Dafa disciple cannot reach consummation without cultivating compassion. These are my current reflections. If there’s anything inappropriate, I humbly ask to be corrected.
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