(Minghui.org) I'm a farmer and live in an area that uses reservoir irrigation. My area, with acres of rice paddies, depends on the reservoir water.
May and June are the months for planting rice seedlings. However, the capacity of the reservoir is not large, so by the time the planting season arrives, the reservoir is quickly depleted.
Our harvest would be affected if we missed the planting season. As such, the production team for our area dug a pond at the base of the mountain to collect water in order to supplement the reservoir. Unfortunately, the pond water didn’t provide enough to solve the water shortage. Thus, farmers had to take turns irrigating their crops. People often fought with each other over the scarcity of the water, and I was one of them.
I started to practice Falun Dafa in July 1996. After reading Zhuan Falun and other lectures on the Fa, I understood that cultivating my mind and heart nature was the key to improving myself. By following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I realized my combative behavior toward the water was far from the standard of a practitioner.
I came to understand that practitioners should put others first and take self-interest lightly. I thought I should not fight with others, and the scarcity of water provided an opportunity for me to get rid of the attachment to personal interests.
It was my turn to irrigate my rice paddy one morning in June 1997. I did all the preparation work the day before, woke up early the next morning, and went to the pond to fetch water. On the way, farmer Zhu stopped me and said that his corn was dying and needed watering, so I let him use the water that was allotted to me.
After farmer Zhu watered his cornfield, farmer Jiang asked me to let him use the water for his rice paddy. After Jiang used the water, farmers Liu, Wang, Zhou, and another Jiang asked me to let them use the water.
The six farmers got the water they needed for their crops. I was glad for them, hoping they were going to have a good harvest. They were very grateful to me.
I told them, “I practice Falun Dafa. Our Master wants us to be selfless.”
Although my rice paddy did not get a drop of water that day, I felt calm in my heart.
Perhaps Master saw that I improved my mind and heart nature. It then poured rain that night, which filled my rice paddy with water. The next day I was able to plant the rice seedlings as planned.
We should always remember that we are Dafa practitioners: Everything we do should be based on the Fa principles, and we should put the needs of others ahead of our own.
Master looks after us at every moment. When our speech and actions are in line with the principles of Falun Dafa, Master will take care of us.
Master said, “If something is yours, you will not lose it.” (Zhuan Falun)
Category: Improving Oneself
