The soothing words of a nun

I am probably the most skeptical person when it comes to religion and any so called charity organization. Opting to trust my own observations of their actions than the promises and flattery of these self-sacrificing leaders. How good of a charity or religion can it be, if the leaders bath themselves in riches and power? Gathering resources and gaining political allies as they expand their operation. Yet there is one who’s managed to influence me. Without her, my ways will have none of the Buddhist influence that is rampant in everything I do now.

As with any religion or charity, I resisted valiantly at the beginning. I resisted because I was afraid to be disappointed and have remained so until one fateful day after I have taken roots in Montreal. It was a hard time in my life, perhaps one of the hardest period I have endured. Her book, a gift from my aunt in Taiwan, happened to be there and I desperately needed hope to get out of the rut. So I read it, I sat there and stayed transfixed for the rest of the night. Don’t quite remember what I read, it wasn’t religious preaching, wasn’t about something that Buddha said or how to be a good person. It was just stories, the first of which being hers. It didn’t give me hope, just the opposite, it painted a more troubled world than one I had imagined before. They the style of writing and the choice of words deeply soothed my troubled mind. I had goosebumps (I subconsciously get goosebumps when I experience something really good) while reading her life’s story and how she funded 慈濟 (Tzu Chi).

She is but a mere nun, yet her actions can move mountains. Her life is devoted to saving people and her actions clearly indicate that she has no desire for power nor money. She lives, eats, breath her philosophy. Compared with the legendary saviors of other religions, I prefer to believe in this person. Living, working and aiming for a better humanity on the same earth in the same time zone. I don’t whole heartedly believe in Buddhism, but I do believe in her and the calm which she brings to people like she did to me in my troubled time.