The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.109)

2019 • 04 54 olistic Education and hatred. She was very sure that I would rebuke her and had decided to deal with me coldly and defensively. I listened patiently to her recounting her dissatisfaction. She blamed her classmate and insisted that it was intentional because she had a secret to share with me on that revealed page, and so, her classmate deserved her harsh reaction. I waited until she had finished and then asked, “Xiao Ying, what do you think of your performance in class?” “Very poor!” she replied. “Do you know that you owe me a lot?” “Do I?” “Yes, you owe me a hundred slams on the table and a thousand kicks on the chair. If you think that this is the right way to treat your classmate, let us also treat each other in this manner.” I told her that I witnessed the whole episode and assured her, “I can guarantee that your classmate did not peep into your contact booklet. She dropped it accidentally and picked it up immediately. It just so happened that you saw it. The way you behaved, spoke and stared at people was enough to scare your classmate to death. How could she dare to explain anything to you?” She lowered her head and kept quiet. It seemed like she had accepted my reasoning. I continued, “Xiao Ying, do you know that you still owe me one thing?” “Okay, teacher! I will go and tell her that I will let her kick my table and chair.” “It is not that you owe her a slam on the table or a kick on the chair. You owe her an apology.” Was she a bad character? She was not. She was just trying to find out whether real warmth existed. Although Xiao Ying could not bring herself to apologize to her classmate verbally, she wrote an “I am sorry” note and mentioned in the tone of a “big sister” that she would offer her best support to the classmate when she needed any help. Was Xiao Ying a bad character? I think she was not. She was just trying to find out whether real warmth existed in this world. I too, was constantly being tested by her. Hence, I told myself: I must always fill my heart with love so that I will not fail her, and so that she will have an adult whom she can truly trust and believe that there is warmth in this world. One day, I visited Xiao Ying’s home. It was an old, 66-square-metre apartment with a living room and two bedrooms. Xiao Ying occupied one room and her brother the other. Their youngest uncle, who often returned home late or not at all, would just sleep in the living room if he did. After all, he would always lie down on the sofa and watch television or sing karaoke.