The Really Happy Princess

By Fellow Initiate Zheng, Taipei, Formosa

One night, I dreamed about myself wearing a resplendent dress and sitting gracefully. However, my face looked extremely worried and sad, and my mouth was like a crescent moon in the last quarter.

When I received the newly released News magazine and looked at the cover photo, I was amazed to see Master wearing exactly the same dress as the one in my dream!

Shortly afterwards, I bought a photo of Master wearing the same gorgeous dress. She was sitting elegantly, with a beautiful, dignified, gentle, reserved, yet magnificent smile on Her face, which warmed my heart like the sun in winter.

Recently, I went to the three-day retreat in Hsihu, and saw for the first time the videotape of the dazzling Celestial Fashion Show. This dress was labeled the "Happy Princess." Only then did I realize Master's intended message -- beautiful clothes and delicious food cannot give us contentment. Only when we are happy within, are we really happy.

Be Humble And Flexible

By Fellow Initiate Valerie, Paris, France
(Originally in French)

Several of us French fellow practitioners arrived in Milan with the Celestial Fashion Show work team. In the hotel suite, there were two bedrooms and a living room. Since all the Celestial Clothes were hung in the living room, without hesitation, we occupied one of the bedrooms, without considering whether there was enough room for the Celestial Fashion Show work team and other staff as well to sleep.

Early the next morning, a voice suddenly awakened us: "Are you some big shots to be sleeping on the bed? Others have been working the whole day long, yet they are sleeping on the hard benches in the living room. Do you think you are so important?" With that, we immediately left the bedroom while learning a good lesson: We cared only about our own comfort and not about others; Western fellow practitioners should not always enjoy privileges. We should be humble.

On the second day, the Celestial Clothes were shifted to another room, and the work team moved out as well. Then some long sofas were placed in the living room. Since several more French practitioners had arrived, we offered the bedrooms to them; some of us slept on the living room floor, while others slept on the hard benches, which were so short that they didn't allow us to stretch out our legs. Meanwhile, the long, soft sofas lay idly beside us.

The fellow practitioner who awakened us felt very weird about this scene. She then said, "Well, perhaps you should not occupy the bedroom, but no one forbid you to sleep on the sofas!" So this time, we learned another lesson -- be flexible.

The Amazing Magician

By Fellow Initiate Hwang, Taipei, Formosa

Master! My dear and respected Master! She is an amazing magician. She is a philosopher and poet, as well as a painter, a horticulturist, and a musician. We've further discovered that Master is also an outstanding chef, an ingenious architect, and a talented fashion designer.

However, no matter how Master changes, we all know full well that Her boundless love for sentient beings is always the same. Because Master's love -- Her profound love -- originates from the source of the cosmos; for us, the disciples, our withered hearts are nourished by its nectar; our meek souls immediately find courage; our sorrows suddenly are dispelled, and even the most worrisome faces open up and smile.

Children are filled with more vigor! Adults are more innocent! And the elders are more lovely!

With Master's love, the sunshine feels warmer! The moon looks more luminous! And the air feels refreshing once again!

Desolate mountains become everyone's paradise; everywhere the dreadful human world becomes heaven. Master -- the truly amazing magician -- makes the impossible possible.

Thank You, Master, for Your love. Thank You, Master, for Your magic wand; for letting us witness Your supreme, divine miracle!

A Barbecue Picnic

By Fellow Initiate Liu, Taipei, Formosa

Last year, our company held a barbecue picnic. In order to promote vegetarianism for environmental protection, several fellow practitioners cooperated closely in a vegetarian group, and fully displayed their cooking talents at the picnic. Many of our meat-eating colleagues were attracted to the rarely seen toasted sugar canes, as well as native toasted sweet potatoes, mouth-watering buttered corn, and vegetable soup with miniature oranges. Upon smelling the aromas coming from the food, they gave up meat at the picnic to eat our vegetarian delights, and their praise for our cooking can be heard to this day.

Last Sunday, another barbecue picnic was held in the Tian Hsi Garden, Yang Ming Mountain. It was windy that day and there were a few light orographic showers. In the June acacia woods, caterpillars about to transform into beautiful butterflies were seen everywhere. Upon entering the woods, our surprised screams arose one after another, mixed with the singing of cicadas to create a boisterous chorus and a lively atmosphere. With keen eyesight, the members of our vegetarian group removed many lovely caterpillars for fear that their beautiful future might be crushed by the footsteps of us `giants,' while silently reciting the Holy Names.

Before the barbecue had even ended, some colleagues had to go down the hill to call a doctor because of severe itching all over their bodies. The next day at work, without prior discussion, our meat-eating colleagues all showed us the traces of their many severe rashes, and said, "It's really strange that those vegetarians do not have any such symptoms. Is it true that our flesh is more acidic than theirs?" In my heart, I knew that Master was taking care of us all along. I am deeply grateful to Her.

After both picnics, there were a number of our colleagues signed up in advance to join our vegetarian group at following picnics. I sincerely hope that one day they will become vegetarians as well.