20141213 用愛編織護磐石 Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital: Safeguarding Lives with Love
Every day, we should harbor a heart of gratitude for each passing day and welcome every moment that is to come with prayerful sincerity. This is how I focus my mind every day. Therefore, as the new year is approaching, let us be grateful that we have passed through this year safe and well. Of course, in this year there were many happy events. However, there were also many events of pain and suffering. Take the story of Meiyin, for example.
For many years, she had lived in tremendous pain. We have to know that the worst kind of suffering is that of illness. So, the most meritorious deed is that of treating patients. This is why I often say that we need to educate the public to be grateful to medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, etc for their working together harmoniously as a team to provide medical services with love. How can patients, who have their pain and illness relieved, not be grateful to doctors and nurses?
They have to be grateful. Medical professionals give of themselves with love to help patients and save their lives, so patients, after being helped, should be grateful and contribute their love. Take our volunteer, Meiyin, for example she is reciprocating the kindness with actions of love. For many years, she had suffered tremendous pain from unknown illness. When the pain starts, what happens?
My temple hurts. Dr. Chien asked me where am I hurting. I told him, “ I don’t know, but my entire body aches so much that, it’s killing me. After the surgery, I felt so much better. There was no more pain. I slowly got up, sat by the window and looked outside. I was so very, very happy.” My husband said that if we hadn’t come to Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, perhaps my life would already be finished. What happened? What’s wrong?
Don’t cry. Meiyin is so happy that the pain is gone. All the years of suffering this unknown pain. Thank you. You must take good care of your injured hand. It pains her to see your hand injured. For years, the cause of the pain was unknown. People began to think that I faked the pain to avoid responsibilities. Thank you, Dr. Chien, I am so grateful! Thank Dharma Master Cheng Yen. Yes, I think Master and Tzu Chi. Thank you all.
After a period of treatment, Meiyin began to recover her health. Throughout the ordeal, her family, her husband, and her mother in law were all very supportive. Superintendent Lai told me that her mother in law bought Meiyin a car so that she can go around their village in the mountain to care for families in need, even helping them get down the mountain. From this, we see that by helping one person, we in turn help many people. I heard Meiyin share how she cares for another family.
When she is driving home, she checks on that family’s house to see if their light is on. If the light is on, then she can go back home not worried about them. Giving love does not need to be limited to those of our blood relation. Everyone living on this Earth is our family. We live on the same land and under the same sky. We can look after people as our close family. This is to treat everyone with the same great loving kindness and compassion that the Buddha taught.
All it takes is one kind thought. This thought can serve as a seed, which then grows into innumerable kind seeds. This is what is taught in the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings. Our thought creates unlimited potential. We should know that the true value in life lies in serving people. Everyone can help to save people. This is not the privilege of the rich sitting in front of me are people whom patients depend on because you relieve them of their illness and pain.
This gives you the most valuable life which is not dependent on how wealthy you are. I am truly grateful to you. Everyone in our hospital from every department needs to be grateful to one another. Sometimes we see doctors and facility maintenance workers cleaning the stairwell together I saw how they did this to feel and experience what it takes to keep every step in the stairwell so clean and every corner clean and shining. This is because they clean it with love and create a wonderful facility for the entire hospital.
All Tzu Chi volunteers, we should be very grateful to every staff in our hospital, especially our young nurses. This entire hospital is made possible with love and dedication from everyone, so that Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital can serve patients in a rural area with the standard of a metropolitan hospital. Superintendent Lai has told me that Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital has been upgraded to a referral hospital to receive critically ill patients. Yesterday, I also heard the story of a patient previously diagnosed to be in a semi vegetative state in another hospital.
After staying in that hospital for 2 to 3 months, he was then referred to our hospital. After an operation performed by Asst. Supt. Chen, this patient slowly recovered from his coma like state because of the continuous love and care by the doctor. However, his memory was impaired, and he could hardly recognize Chinese words. Yesterday, he came to share with us. Thirteen years ago, he was pronounced to be in a semi vegetative state.
To everyone’s surprise, now he volunteers at Tzu Chi’s recycling station with very agile movements. He can express himself quite clearly. Though he mentioned that he couldn’t recognize any Chinese character in the beginning, he is now able to read out loud his gratitude on a piece of paper on stage. After he came off the stage, he told me that he was very grateful. His child was born at the time of his accident and is now ready for junior high school. He is very grateful to Tzu Chi for saving him.
Now, he is giving of himself for the greater good. So, our hospital here, the Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, is truly a place that safeguards people’s lives. All in all, what we do is truly valuable. Even though we are located in Dalin, a rural place. I saw that everyone here is very content and grateful. I think this is what brings about the biggest enjoyment in life, being satisfied with the work environment and being grateful to everyone.
This is what constitutes the most beautiful, big Tzu Chi family. I am grateful to have you. Time keeps on passing by. Though life diminishes with each passing second, I hope your wisdom life grows with time I give you my sincerest well wishes.
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