PureInsight | April 5, 2004
Chapter 13: An Old Friend
[PureInsight.org] The police were all over the place. They sat together, talking and sometimes nodding off once it got late. It was at least 2 AM at this point and now many of the police were sleeping but not my little Li Nei. She sat with her eyes wide open looking like a little flower. Meanwhile many of the other police were curled up in a ball on one or two chairs while others had heads falling back with their mouths hanging open. Many of the senior officers and mean police had left but once in a while they would come back to see how things were going. They always were a little shocked to see Li Nei bright eyed with a big smile to greet them. Then Mr. Unexpected came walking in.
A young male officer. You could tell he was older, not as young as the others, because he carried rank on his epaulets. He walked around like he owned the place. He sat down with Li Nei and I could hear him talking. He was handsome and I could tell just by the way he spoke he was smooth and witty. At that point I was just watching him turn my little sister into a pile of giggles. Then he started making jokes about Falun Dafa. Instantaneously my teeth clenched, my fists tightened and my first thought was - this guy is finished, "Leave my little sister alone." He just kept carrying on with his choice grins and charming eyes. Oh boy did I want to get my hands on this guy.
WHOAH, WHoah ,whoah, slooooow down Zen, I demanded myself. Boy, was I getting out of hand. For those few short minutes I completely forgot that I was a Falun Dafa practitioner. But I reminded myself to look inside myself to find my own problem. There it was, all my past notions rising up to make me go crazy. Instead I let all competitive, spiteful feelings and notions go and remembered the three words Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Wasn't this my requirement? All of a sudden this police officer didn't pose such a threat to me anymore. But I still wanted to talk with him. It is still his chance to meet me and hear what he isn't allowed to hear in China. But now there was a senior officer sitting at the front of the room. He would surely stop me from talking with this guy. So I made it look natural and I walked over to get some water and then sat near to them.
Now we were face to face and our eyes locked as we grinned at each other, nodding our heads.
Zenon: Hello
Him: Hello
It was as though we were old friends that hadn't seen each other for many, many years or lives. Who knows? But there was indeed a strong sense of familiarity. We were indeed friends in the past. We just had some unfinished business you could say. That nod we just shared was the acknowledgment that our duel was about to resume.
I drew my sword first. Although I was not angry anymore, my competitive mentality still hadn't been eliminated and it was ready to go to work. I didn't have a malicious intent but I was happy to see my old friend and was thoroughly excited to get things under way again. I can still see us laughing and joking, teasing each other at every chance. Finding every excuse to draw our swords, never to hurt one another but surely to do our best to outdo one another. The young ladies thought we always fought over them, but what they didn't know is that we just liked to fight. Playfully yes, but fight nonetheless. Not in anger but in jest, for fun, to win. But this time it wasn't for fun. This time it was serious. This time I needed to win. Not for me, but for him. Like usual I drew first but with no fear at all. He was quick and relaxed.
Zenon: Do you know why I am here.
He smiled with a condescending grin as if he was saying why should I care, but he answered because he was having fun.
Him: No
Then I began to tell him who I was and why I was here and his cocky grin got even bigger as he stepped forward and lunged for the heart.
Him: Falun Gong is xxxx (derogatory comment)
An obvious move that would be easily blocked and countered, but he didn't really want to hurt me, he was still playing just like we used to - only we had no swords just words.
Zenon: You don't know what you are talking about.
Him: Oh,I don't?
Zenon: No.
Then I began to tell him about the Internet. Li Nei's English was stronger than his and she helped to translate some things for him. Since we had already had this conversation she would fill in some of the blanks. Her eyes were widening with sincerity and she kept nodding her head while I made my points to him hoping he could understand the truth. But he just wouldn't budge. It didn't matter if the whole world knew Falun Dafa was good and he was blinded in China, the match wasn't over. All the points I had made in the past were made, my Chinese was exhausted, and every lunge, swipe or slice was all in vain. Nothing penetrated. At this point finesse was out the window and I resorted to brute force. I decided to prove to him that I was an authority on the issue and then he would have to succumb.
Zenon: How long have you been a policeman?
Him: Three and a half years. How long have you practiced Falun Gong?
Zenon: Three and a half years.
Our swords lowered a bit so we could just see over the tips and we smiled at each other. In exhaustion I used my last bit of energy and swung my rapier one last time, but to no avail.
Zenon: How old are you?
Him: 23.
He could see the failure in my eyes so he grinned, striking back, thinking he finally had me.
Him: How old are you.
Zenon: 23.
There was no authority and this competition was futile. I was exhausted because I was fighting needlessly. This one man threatened my pursuit and reputation. What kind of heart did I have? Was I trying to out do him? Wasn't I supposed to be helping him? Then I put myself down and admitted that I didn't know everything. I lowered my sword to the ground and spoke from my heart.
Zenon: We are both young men right?
He nodded yes.
Zenon: Well both also have big heads. These big heads get in the way and stop us from seeing so many things. There are just so many things that we don't understand.
He nodded again in agreement but this time with no smile. He understood and so did I. As his smile grew so did mine. We were not only smiling ear to ear with our mouths but our eyes were smiling as our hearts laughed with joy. We dropped our swords, thumped our chests together and embraced. How have you been brother, it's been much too long?
Him: So why do you practice Falun Dafa?
His mind was finally opened and I was sure, without a doubt, that it had something to do with the change in my heart. He could feel it. But before I could answer the superior officer made a loud noise similar to the sound you would hear in a martial arts movie. We both ignored it but not a few seconds later he sounded off again.
Him: Don't talk, don't talk.
At this point my heart sank. After all that I am being stopped from really having a heart to heart with my old friend. After about a minute of silence, I remembered that he was not my superior officer and that they couldn't shut me up on the square so why should I let them now? He already asked the question and I'd answered it.
Zenon: Why do I practice Falun Gong, you ask. Well, I want to purify my mind. I want to purify my body. I want to understand the truth of things. I want to understand the truth of the universe. I want to cultivate Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
He wouldn't look directly at me for fear of reprisal from his superiors but he looked above my head. As I spoke I could see his eyes widening. I continued explaining to him that I was not against his government and that we cared for his country and that we wanted them to see something they couldn't see for themselves. I closed by telling him to not persecute Falun Dafa and to be a good person because good is rewarded with good and evil with evil. Just wait and you will see for yourself. Wait and together we will both see.
When I was finished his cocky grin was non-existent. He no longer walked around like he owned the hotel we were sitting in. Later I saw him hunched over in a chair picking his nose. He resembled a little boy lost with nothing to do. But what was there for him to do. He was a policeman, he is supposed to catch criminals and he was watching over a group of peace-loving people.
If we had the chance to meet under different circumstances we would have had lots of fun laughing and joking. But that was not meant to be. My arms were folded on my belly and I sank into my chair to get a little more comfortable. While I slowly closed my eyes nodding off to sleep, I began reflecting on the talk I had just had. It was very telling about how deep my competitive mentality was really hidden. If I hadn't been exhausted and then finally let go of this competitive heart my compassion would have never emerged and I would have never touched his heart. I was so happy and at peace because I didn't listen to his superior when he tried to silence me.
