All I did was run to catch a shopping cart that was blown by the wind just enough to catch a downslope and head toward parked cars in the parking lot. It doesn’t seem like much, but I know that it can be annoying to come out of a store and see a new scratch or dent on a brand new car. It must have been enough, because one of the other patrons thanked me for my action, even though (I know this for a fact because she had parked next to me, nowhere near the carts) it wasn’t her car that was going to be hit. It felt good…

i am currently experiencing a difficult time as i carefully step, or perhaps vault, myself through graduate school. recently i have been feeling many negative vibes between a teacher and myself.however, i made a decision a few days ago, to no longer perpetuate these vibes, instead in every encounter i have with her, i wrap her up, shroud her (in my mind’s eye) in a veil of glorious white light.i know it seems small and perhaps insignificant, but this teacher carries great power at my school and with that great responsibility. and i have true compassion for her, which i think until just recently, i had forgotten. i expect that…

I work in a small, busy ER in a small town. Over the years a nurse gets to know the people that frequent the ER, coming in by ambulance when a taxi would do, abusing alcohol or drugs and then hoping that they will get a helping hand when their existence is just too much for them to cope with. We often feel helpless as we patch them up and return them to the same circumstances that brought them through our doors. One young woman, we’ll call her Janet, came back in 3 nights ago – the place was hopping, we had police in 3 times with suicidal and psychotic…

i just want to download the cd

Though I know people in society, including some in the Buddhist community, have mixed feelings about homosexuality, mostly I think due to how discussing sexuality makes people more reflective than they are comfortable with, I feel it is important to help make people comfortable so they can accet themselves and others, leading to more loving compassion, I hope. I have worked as a teacher with a group of students for three years now to create a safer place for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students at our school. We’ve sponsored guest speakers, social events, and educational discussions. But the one I feel is an act of kindness that stands out ot…

I was at home with my toddler and his friend, and they spied a spider on our bathroom mirror. My son’s friend shrieked and shouted, “Away, bug. Squash bug!” I gently explained that we don’t squish bugs, we ask them to leave. I took a small box and placed it below the spider, and asked it to go outside with me. The spider walked into the box without any physical coaxing, and the boys and I took it outside. I placed the box gently at the base of a tree so the spider could crawl out when it wanted to. They were fascinated. A few days later, my son grabbed…

Some of my acts of kindess of late have been directed towards myself. I’m going through a tough time, and have tried to ignore that pain and “put on a happy face” for others. But I’ve started to realize that ignoring my pain is like ignoring the cries of a small child — most cruel. Furthermore, “putting on a happy face” doesn’t help others; it just cuts off real connections with others. So, in trying to be kind and listening to those cries of pain, my hope is that I can heal, which in turn will help me truely connect with and/or help others.

What is acting of Bdhisattva?If you want to know see what Heng Sure sunim doing…

I deeply value being kind and considerate for myself, but I am also a mom, and I know that I’ve got one chance to raise my boys to be good people. Therefore I feel it is doubly important to try to be kind, courteous and considerate in all my actions – I’ve got 3 sets of eyes watching my every move. Some of the things I try to do: always say please and thank you; always greet and ask after anyone I interact with – I always greet the checkout person and bagger at my grocery, for instance; use cloth bags even if it means buying treking out to the…

I visited a Chan Meditation Center and picked up a little pamphlet, card, type thing that had 108 quotes from Venerable Master Sheng Yen. One of the quotes on it says, “By just picking up litter and refraining from littering, we are doing meritorious deeds.” I found this quote to be inspiring and empowering, and like all wise sayings or quotes that move me, I write it down on my list of quotes and tape the paper on my wall to see every day. As I was walking on the subway platform to get the 7 train, I noticed a piece of paper on floor. As I walked closer to…