Reflections on Promoting Falun Dafa at a Fair After the September 11 Tragedy

By a practitioner in USA

(Clearwisdom.net) The September 11 terrorist attack in the USA shocked the world. Friday was declared a national day of mourning. I hesitated to promote Falun Dafa at the fair as usual on Saturday. I was also wondering how our Falun Dafa activities might be affected in the future. I worried that our activities may be considered inappropriate in others' eyes. That evening I read Teacher Li's articles "Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples" and "Lecture on the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Conference." While reading, I suddenly came to the understanding that I must go to the fair as usual!

As I arrived at the fair and was about to begin to set up the table, an attendant from a nearby booth greeted me. She came over and inquired about Falun Gong in detail. There were no fewer people than usual at the fair. Many people wore T-shirts commemorating the September 11 event. Life isn't becoming more chaotic as I had thought. To the contrary, people have become more friendly and rational.

Lots of Falun Dafa material was distributed that day. An attendant from another booth called from behind me, "Please give me one." After reading the material, he came to my table without a word and signed the petition. I didn't even have to mention it to him.

A child stood looking at the pictures we had on display and didn't want to leave. She looked at one picture after another. She pointed out some of the pictures to her mother. One showed children practicing the exercises and another showed a large group of practitioners gathered together to form a large Falun. People who had visited the booth several weeks ago came back asking about practice sites or to continue discussions. Some said they would return again next week. One person remarked that so many people are practicing Falun Gong that he felt it was worth exploring.

I learn different things promoting Falun Dafa at the fair every time. Looking back, it is good that I wasn't blocked from attending by my human notions. I did not pursue success as I had before. I was the only practitioner there, so I alternated between practicing the exercises and handing out materials. I kept a righteous mind, so many people were willing to accept the materials I offered them.

Not far away, a group of youths held up a banner saying what a wonderful place the world would be if everyone were to live in peace. When I told one gentleman that many Falun Gong practitioners were killed in China, he replied that many people had also died this week in the US. I kindly responded that terror has no national boundary, nor does the world's people's yearning for Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

The terrorist attack shocked all kind-hearted people in the world. It awakened people's conscience and their awareness of what is right and wrong. It reminds them how valuable support for each other is. It reminds them how precious one's faith is. People's indifference is dissipating. They are reawakening to the existence of evil and of gods.

Today at the fair and on TV I saw the awakening of conscience and faith. Everywhere you see people helping and consoling each other. When people meet each other, they exchange greetings and kindness, sympathy and support. People are brought together by something of this magnitude, something that profoundly impacts everyone. No individual could have accomplished this. I believe that after this disaster the American people will come to learn the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

A reporter who interviewed me once before called me again today. He expressed an interest in taking photos at our exercise site. I originally thought they may not report us because they are so busy after the terrorist attacks. It turned out to be completely different. I learned again the importance that we should not be blocked by our own human notions.

Let Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance take root in more people's hearts.
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2001/9/17/16660.html

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