Be thankful

“I joined this camp because of my parents, they are the coordinator of “Tzu Chi”. Initially I didn’t want to join this camp. I do not have any friends joining as well and this had made me hesitating in the decision to join this camp. However I never regretted joining this camp. In fact, I might regret if I did not join it. This camp changed me a lot, including my thinking and I have a new perception on life. I am thankful for what I am and what I have.

I used to complain about UTAR. Since last semester, I go back hometown quite often because something happened in my family. Whenever it’s time for me to leave my hometown for UTAR, I felt very reluctant to go back. I had been to NTU. I always ask myself, why others can have a proper campus while UTAR has little or no facilities. It’s not that my parents could not afford better option for my tertiary education. Why do I still need to end up in UTAR? After joining this camp, I learnt to be thankful, and this is the most important thing to me. There are many more other teenagers that could not further their studies. I should be thankful to my parents for sending me to UTAR to have a good education.

Besides that my hands shiver, my hands shiver whenever I shake hands with other people. I also shiver whenever I grab things. This is due to inheritance from my mum. I used to blame my mum for this reason. Why am I the only daughter that inherits this “disease”? Sometimes when I’m angry, I even said words that I regretted saying to my mum. After joining this camp, I realized my mistake. I should be thankful to my mum for giving birth to a healthy daughter and not a disabled. I cried to my mum asking for forgiveness. Last time when people asked me why my hands are shivering, I couldn’t answer. Now, if anyone asks me the same question, I’ll tell them that this is the symbol of love that my mum left for me.

Always remember, whatever happens between you and your parents, they are still your parents. Any dispute and quarrel can be solved. Another important thing you must keep in your mind is showing filial obedience to parents cannot be delayed. Time does not wait for you. You will never know what will happen tomorrow. Please appreciate every moment with your parents and respect them when god still allows you to do so.

My dad was diagnosed by doctor to suffer from blood cancer (leukemia). This happened during my last semester. This is the reason I used to go back hometown so frequent. Though my dad is a good samaritan who helps a lot in “Tzu Chi”, he doesn’t complain when he got to know that he was suffering from leukemia. He does not blame god for not being fair. He just accepted it as a fact. Since the chances of getting bone marrow that match my dad was very small, my mum decided to try the Chinese traditional treatment. The Chinese herbs eliminate the toxicants in my dad body. As a result, you can see the boil on my dad’s body growing bigger and bigger as time passes. When the boil is big enough, it burst and the pus flows out from it. My dad has sleepless night throughout that period of time. His whole body was so itchy and he just couldn’t lie down. I was so helpless and could not stop blaming myself for I could not help him in any way either.

Right now, I appreciate every second with my parents, especially my dad. Yesterday I got a phone call from home saying that my dad’s white blood cell had increase. This Sunday is my dad’s birthday and I’m going back to celebrate with him. Please appreciate every moments with your loved ones when it is not too late. Please do not have any regrets in life due to ignorance and ego. Tell them how much you love them while you have the chance. Things will not always be the same. Life is uncertain.

Before I joined this camp, I was a timid girl. I will never come forward to share my own experience and feelings in an occasion like now. This camp really changed me a lot. The most important thing I learnt, is to be thankful and feel grateful to everyone I meet. I fervently hope that, everyone here can get something out of my sharing and not repeating the silly acts I’ve done.”

These are words that come from a girl’s true feeling after experiencing the ups and downs in life. She was left in tears after that sharing. She might have lost some tears but she won the applause from us, every single person that is present.

Yesterday night, I went for a sharing for a camp. A camp organized by “Tzu Chi”. This sharing is meant for participants who had attended the camp to share their own feelings and opinions after the 3 days 2 nights camp. I didn’t attend the camp but I somehow turn up for that sharing. It had been a long long time since I last attended a camp like this. If I’m not mistaken, it might be the 9^th Dhamma Youth Camp I had in PHBP. Anyway I might join the "Tsu Chi" camp next year. It’s always a great moment to join these type of camps. You learnt lots of things that you can’t find in textbooks. It’s just real life experience. I was forced to think over and over again after that sharing. Sometimes in life, it’s good to stop down your face pace and take a deep thought on what you have done. Have you ever made your parents sad and disappointed? Have you ever broken your parents’ heart? Have you ever spoken out words that are not supposed to say to your parents? Have you ever told your parents “I love you”?