That person is not very well-liked by h-- peers, always being made fun of (sarcastically) and I'm not sure that person even knows that people are doing that to h--. Well, many people were frequently annoyed by h-- words and actions, and I was one of them. It was so easy to join in when people were gossiping about h--, adding my own experience of how very irritated I was by what that person did.
The good news is, for three months, I tried my best to accept that person's personality as it is, however annoying it may seem to people. I knew that it was wrong to gossip, and I tried as much as possible not to be part of those who were gossiping. I tried to put myself into h-- position and imagined how that person would feel. All the while praying about this.
Now, I no longer try to avoid h-- as I did in the past. I can talk to h-- with ease, without a hint of discomfort at being seen chatting and sometimes laughing with h--. I thought that that person seemed to have changed for the better, being more helpful instead of what people would call "irritating", and so I asked my closer friends about this. They agreed with me that there has indeed been a significant change in h--.
Prayers really work. Praying + taking actions = Result.
It wasn't just me secretly making it a point to love the unlovable and showing it, though not too directly. Others have noticed the improvement (for the better) in the unlovable side of that person, which makes it even easier for me to accept h--. I think that person feels more included instead of excluded these days.
Yeah, prayers really work.
Below: an extract from my Dec 08 archives.
In view of that decision, that promise to try to be nicer to some friends, I had to ask God to take away the pride and prejudice (lol Austen) I had in me. Start small, though in this case small is challenging. So imagine my surprise at how during the week I actually found myself defending the name of someone who wasn't around physically, someone people preferred to shun. It wasn't that difficult. I can do this. I can sit out of gossips too. I can I can I can.(whatever you are about to read below is totally unplanned -- i didn't intend to include this in the post but i guess the convo with irvin made me want to type this, although the convo was not about the j1s at all)
I will accept people the way they are, and remind myself that everyone has a place in God's kingdom. They don't deserve hostility from us no matter what kind of impression they may leave on us, no matter what kind of explosive reactions they may trigger.
I'm going to display the right level of enthusiasm for the new J1 recruitment next year. Suddenly it feels as if I'm made to contact all those who're interested and ra-ra them into joining CO. Instead of becoming weary, I shall turn it around.. I'm not doing this simply because it's a duty, I'm doing this out of love. I'm helping whoever I can,
Wow. I don't remember myself typing the last part of the above extract. Yes, I'm doing my best to teach my juniors. Teaching them is really not easy, I'll say this truthfully. It's tiring and frustrating when they can't play and I tend to want to pull my hair out over this.
But today I taught this other junior who wasn't around for the CO camp and boy, I could see that willingness to learn radiating out of her. What made it better was her speed at which she picked up the G major scale and the challenging rhythmic patterns of 江南好. Her sight-reading was pretty impressive too, given that she doesn't have music background. Instructors weren't around for they had to prepare for a concert, so it was self-sectionals from 1 to 4pm. She didn't pause to rest or ask for a break, and I was the one who needed that break -.- I'm really encouraged by her 百折不挠的精神. It serves as a reminder of how we as seniors should continue to possess this kind of positive attitude to learning (for there's much that we have yet to learn) and give our best in teaching them, and in bringing ACCO to greater heights.
