Third Day Summer Retreat 2016: Cactus on Its Sandy Land

Either in the blazing hot summer day or extreme chilly winter night, succulents still proudly stands on its land, the desert. Sand and the wind make it bare, but extremely powerful coping with severe weather. Such meaningful symbol is the message that Summer Retreat board would like to send to the youths.

As usual, morning is the time for listening to sharing the views of life from clergy lecturers. Exactly at 7:30 am, participants gathered to the conference halls for the dhamma talk of Venerable Thich Tam Tien, deputy head of 2016 summer retreat board, entitled, "Kids in other homes"

 

Young people often wastes time, money and health chasing temporary passions and nonsense pleasures. When encountering failure, no-good actions or bad mistakes, parents often compare them to good "kids in the other homes". From that mindset, youths have indeed turned themselves into their models, "the good kids in the other homes”, paying so much attention to the outside that they gradually lose their precious inner lives.

 

Others’ thoughts of us are not our own reality. The nature of the outside assessment is bias, but we have paid too much attention to it. We should be the masters of our lives with unique characteristics and develop ourselves at the right time. To do so, we should improve ourselves, cultivate good qualities, instead of searching and running after the external modern trend/ ideas, and becoming their copies.

 

Be yourself and be responsible for your life. On the road to improve personality, we may encounter difficulties and challenges. Happiness and suffer are more likely the counterbalances of this life, always go abreast. Nevertheless, with the right awareness and method, we will be able to transform suffering into happiness accordingly.

 

At the end of the talk, the Venerable read out a letter from mom to daughter for the youth’s references. The air seemed deep and thoughtful while everyone listened to their inner feelings thinking of their families and beloved ones with some furtive teardrops and distant gazes.

 

 In the afternoon, participants attended the seminar "Cactus On Its Sandy Land" from teacher Nguyen The Vinh.

 

It's an inspirational story of endurance, energy and vitality of a good hearted person who "works with all his heart happily and tirelessly".

 

As an orphan kid, he used to work as a little cowboy to afford for his studying. Then, an accident took one arm of his. Overcoming lots of difficulties and complex, he graduated from high school and started college. He had many careers to work through college as bicycle repairer, parking security guard, tutor ... Meeting with music accidentally, with his talent and efforts, he now can play both Harmonica and guitar. After being well known, he has been invited to perform in Japan, France ... Teaching has come to him as a career during his job search.

 

With thoughtful concern and desire helping out the orphans and disabled ones, he has established the Sunflower Center; specialized in supporting orphans and disabled ones. The center is currently sponsoring 114 children with lots of college students and overseas students.

 

With a vision of life "the more you give, the more you get" and "work until things done", although coping with many difficulties in the implementation of his dream, he tried his best to overcome all and had some certain achievements. “When you cannot change the dessert, then be a helpful and proudly cactus on its sandy land between earth and sky”.  This is such a meaningful message from the program to all participants.

 

Following are some recorded photographs: