Returning to Tzu Chi after 12 years, Zhuang (left) told herself to grasp every opportunity to create blessings in life. No matter how busy home and work life can be, volunteer work is still possible if she planned her time well. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Some time back, Tzu Chi Singapore was looking for sign language facilitators for the upcoming “Dharma as Water” stage adaptation. Although Zhuang had the relevant experience, she was hesitant in taking up the role. When asked, she just responded softly, “If I learn fast enough (for the stage adaptation adaptation), then I will help to teach the other actors too.”
Soon after this, Zhuang happened to recall a particular incident that happened a day before the Buddha Bathing Ceremony in May this year. On that day, she had received an urgent phone call while she was on her way to attend the meeting for the Buddha Day Celebration event at Choa Chu Kang, requesting her to make a detour to retrieve and send some clothes from Yishun to Choa Chu Kang MRT Station. This roundabout trip would make her late for the meeting for an hour. She was vexed by this situation. Yet in the end, after placing herself in the other party’s shoes, Zhuang rushed to attend to this urgent errand.
Upon reaching the destination, Zhuang wasted no time in passing the clothes to the receiving party. She also received some herbal tea in return before she rushed off once more to attend the meeting. When she finally had the time to look into the plastic bag, she noticed a small note attached to the herbal tea. On the note was written words of warm encouragement and a sincere reminder for the team to take good care of themselves. Tears could not help but flow out of Zhuang’s eyes. Her actions, which she felt were not worth mentioning, were actually reciprocated with a shower of love!
Zhuang was deeply touched by this. In undertaking a responsibility, one will experience such feelings. With that, Zhuang started to question herself, why not let this warm feelings continue on? Why not take on the role of a facilitator? After some internal struggle, she finally decided to take on the challenge. The next day, as if miraculously made aware of her resolve, Sister Qiu Bing Rou offered this position to her again.
After taking on the role, Zhuang was then recommended for the responsibility of community coordinator, responsible for all coordination and volunteer matters within the North Zone. Regarding this, Zhuang simply told herself, “Stop hesitating and just do it.” With that, she accepted the responsibility. In her efforts to fulfill her responsibilities, Zhuang began to plan her time meticulously, and with the setting up of small goals in the process, her work efficiency improved tremendously. As a result, she could leave work on time every day. Smiling, Zhuang says, “Until now, I have been attending all practice sessions without fail.”
In carrying out her vow made during the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, Zhuang Mei Hui (left) actively does her part in recruiting volunteers to join Tzu Chi during the auspicious seventh lunar month prayer event. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
It was Zhuang’s (first from right) responsibility to re-shuffle the positions of the performers due to unexpected manpower changes. She would usually do this until the wee hours, and did not have enough time to rest. Her husband, Lin Guang Yao (second from right), took over the housework to lighten her load. (Photo by Tan Paik Hui)
Changing One’s Thoughts
Zhuang came to know of Tzu Chi some twelve years ago. For a period of six months in 1999, she would go to the Jing Si Hall in Kedah, Malaysia every day, while she was still waiting for her university acceptance letter. During this period, she had accompanied volunteers on various house visits, volunteer medical consultations, and recycling activities. Every time during the house visits, Zhuang sympathized so much with the needy families they visited that she would always leave their houses crying. It was only until she was counselled by the other volunteers did she learn to change her perspective and not let her emotions get the better of her. Instead, she would draw on her experience from the house visits to understand the sufferings in life and cherish what she had.
The lessons learnt from life itself constantly remind Zhuang to discover and treasure her blessings, and in turn, seize opportunities to create more blessings in life. After graduating from university, despite wanting to participate in Tzu Chi’s activities, Zhuang had her hands full with work and home-related activities. In 2010, Zhuang and her husband, Lin Guang Yao, came to Singapore to work. Upon reaching Singapore, the first thing Zhuang told Lin was that she wanted to return to Tzu Chi. She felt that should she not grab this opportunity, she might never have the chance to do so in future.
The year after, the couple decided to look for a house, but despite changing two property agents and after viewing many houses, they were still not satisfied with the choices. In the end, it was through the recommendation of Lin’s boss, that they were introduced to another property agent. From the property agent, they then found a satisfactory house that they could call home. Amazingly, this property agent was also a Tzu Chi volunteer! Upon knowing this, Zhuang wasted no time becoming a Tzu Chi member.
“It has been so long, and I am finally back.” After a delay of 12 years, Zhuang finally convinced herself that with proper time management, she could manage home, work and volunteer work efficiently.
After joining the chorus team, Lin Guang Yao (center) has embarked on the mission to convert to a vegetarian diet. The couple has also been applying what they learnt from the “Water Repentance” text into their daily life. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
In Search for an Answer to Life
Since young, Zhuang has had an allergic constitution. When she was 12, her grandmother passed away. It was her first encounter with death, and she was disturbed by it. Four years later, her aunt passed away due to cancer. Zhuang felt helpless in the face of life’s transience. That same year, she took refuge in the Dharma. However, despite the frequent chanting of scriptures, she could not figure out the meaning of life.
In September 2011, Zhuang’s allergic attacks started. Within three days, she had had four changes of doctors and her medicinal dosages containing steroids increased by six times. Her body was overwhelmed. Zhuang had difficulties breathing during the attacks, and was afraid that she might stop breathing altogether while she was asleep. She dared not sleep at night.
After taking medication for three consecutive months, Zhuang’s condition did not improve. It was then did she suddenly recalled her vow to become vegetarian. She had made that vow when she was sixteen, but due to various factors, never fulfilled the vow. In her bid to honor her vow, she decided to change her diet. Surprisingly, not long after she had stopped her consumption of meat, she recovered without the need for any medication. This experience prompted her into immediate action – if she did not grasp the opportunity to create blessings now, then when would she start? As such, the Tzu Chi way of helping the less fortunate became her answer to life.
The responsibility of a community coordinator is never light. It is extremely common for a community coordinator to receive news that a volunteer had decided to withdraw from the stage adaptation just a day before the community practice session. Every time this happens, Zhuang would have to update the performers name list and re-work the stage positions of the actors. She frequently did this into the wee hours of the morning. Seeing this, Lin became very concerned about his wife’s health. To allow Zhuang to have enough rest and at the same time, to minimize her workload, Lin decided to take over the housework chores instead, a rare act for someone who does not usually do housework.
Not only that, whenever there was a community practice or meet-up, Lin would always arrive at the venue earlier to help out with the registration list if he was in town. Recently, after signing up as a sign language actor, Lin had been actively trying to change to a vegetarian diet. After several months, Lin’s diet is already 80% vegetarian.
This year, Lin and Zhuang joined the “Dharma as Water” stage adaptation together. From the gradual influence of the “Water Repentance” text, Lin is now a changed man. Nowadays, whenever Lin’s temper starts to get the better of him, Zhuang would constantly remind him of the particular verse in the adaptation that “……anger, rage and maliciousness (which) often cause hurt to others.” Hearing this, Lin would try and curb his temper. As a result, the couple’s relationship has improved.
Apart from that, Lin is always expressing his gratitude to his wife every day. To Zhuang, the expressions of gratitude are the most beautiful words in the world, and the most sincere gift her husband could ever offer her.
Taking Care to Restrain One’s Tongue
The verse, “I vow to refrain from gossiping and sowing the seeds of suspicion” had left a deep impression in Zhuang. Usually, during the lunch break, Zhuang and her colleagues would gather together to engage in complaining and gossiping. Now, Zhuang has realized that gossiping and complaining cannot change anything; in fact, speaking ill of others creates bad karma for oneself. So why not change the topic to something happier instead of adding oil to fire? At least there is still laughter amidst the troubles, and everyone can continue to work with a lighter heart.
During the course of caring for the stage adaptation actors, Zhuang once received such a phone call: on the phone, the caller spoke angrily and was very blunt with words. However, after informing the other party of her identity, the caller became more composed. This big change in attitude inspired Zhuang greatly. She remarked, “Being a facilitator in the means that you must be a step ahead of the other performers in the understanding of the meaning behind the “Water Repentance” text and not wait till the day of the stage adaptation itself. ” Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you. As such, Zhuang would constantly reflect if her words had hurt others, and negatively impacted their resolve for spiritual cultivation.
With resolve comes strength. Zhuang admits, “Whenever I hear Master Cheng Yan saying ‘not having enough time’, I would be hanging my head in shame. I have put off volunteering for too long. Now that I have returned, I feel much better already. Therefore, no matter how busy my work is, as long as I plan my time well, everything will surely turn out alright.”
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