The world of Tzu Chi January 2021 (Vol.130)

01 TZU CHI 130 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Lee You Ning aster’s Teaching The most valuable asset in this world is our lives. By seizing the time to serve, we could make our lives more meaningful and filled with Dharma joy. T ime flies and the annual Year-end Blessing Ceremonies have begun since November 2020, with everyone bringing home a red envelope of blessings and wisdom, while preparing to welcome the New Year. The New Year brings new hope, just like how everyone anticipates a happy day ahead as one rises in the morning. Everyone hopes for peace, safety and auspiciousness every day, month and year. Meeting those senior Tzu Chi volunteers in Taipei reminded me of the Year-end Blessing Ceremonies in the early days, where they would drive me around for charity home visits. Thirty over years ago in Sanzhi district, there was a centenarian who lived alone in a dilapidated thatched house. It concerned us that he had to start a fire beside his house, especially that he had impaired vision. Tzu Chi volunteers took turns to visit him, helping to bathe him, clean his living environment and take care of his household necessities. That lasted for many years until his demise. Since half a century ago, Tzu Chi volunteers had started the “long-term care”, as how the modern society calls it. They voluntarily cared for the elderly like their own family until the demise of the elderly. Through charity home visits, they witnessed poverty, ageing, illness, disabilities and loneliness, testifying to the truth of suffering that Buddha had preached about. Life is characterized by suffering. This year (2020) has not come to its end, but around the world, there have been so many natural and man-made disasters, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, where the number of positive cases is continuously on the rise. In order to contain the pandemic, lockdowns and movement control orders have been imposed, causing many people to lose their jobs and sources of income, significantly impacting the world. I am thankful that Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide had taken upon their shoulders the mission to source for and supply PPE to Tzu Chi hospitals, as well as other medical and charitable organizations, when there was a global shortage of face masks. They AMeaningful Life Full of Dharma Joy