The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.107)

TZU CHI 107 21 Avoiding the trap of bad habits “The games were fun, meaningful and well- designed. They reminded me of my childhood.” For Low Pin and his wife, Tam Kan Kee, who are both in their 70s, the games not only offered fun and enjoyment, but also prompted heartfelt contemplations. When playing “Change Your Destiny”, Kan Kee observed the marble rolling into “traps” labelled “glutton”, “short- tempered”, “TV addict”, “playful”, “selfish”, “spendthrift”, “sleeping in”, etc. She could not help feeling embarrassed, and confessed with a sheepish smile, “True enough, my bad habits are gluttony, being playful, procrastinating when getting out of bed in the morning, and being short- tempered.” Low Pin quickly added, “This game reminds one to discard bad habits. It serves to keep us in check.” Kan Kee admitted that she used to take her bad habits lightly, but was instantly enlightened by the Jing Si Aphorism on the box containing the “Change Your Destiny” game: “The wealthiest person is the one who stays contented and is liberated from desires.” “Before losing my temper again, I will calm down and think first; I need to change my bad temper after all.” Kan Kee initially planned on going vegetarian, but to accommodate her children’s non-vegetarian diet, she resorts to eating only vegetarian-compliant components from every dish. Kan Kee was heartbroken over the frequent occurrences of natural and man-made disasters shown in the screening of “Tzu Chi 2018 Year in Review”. When she realized that practising vegetarianism and engaging in recycling efforts can save the Earth, she looked forward to becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian. On the other hand, Low Pin remarked that although he and A grandmother having a delightful time attempting one of the game segments with a pair of “binoculars” made from recycled paper cups. [Photograph by Lai Jih Chuan] Ushering in the New Year with Wisdom and Harmony