(RH from the United States of America/70s/Male/Part-Time Worker)
I am an American shinja. It has been 20 years since I was introduced by my wife and joined Kyōkai.
I have always been shy throughout my life. I can talk to my family and friends without any problem, but when it comes to new people I meet, I tend to get nervous. As I began working as an engineer, I became more comfortable talking to my colleagues about work, but still had problems getting to know new people. I came to accept that being shy is just how I am.
The Awareness I Gained Through Reading the Yorokobi no Koe (Voices)
I retired from my job in 2021, after working for 47 years. As a result, my daily exchanges with coworkers stopped in the midst of the pandemic. Being at home and with more time on my hands, I discovered the ‘Yorokobi no Koe (Voices)’ section on Shinji Kyōkai website.
My wife is Japanese, and I’ve always been fascinated with languages. So, with the aid of a good Japanese dictionary, I challenged myself to read through the Japanese version of ‘Yorokobi no Koe (Voices)’ and make it a daily routine. Each one of them is fairly short, so I am able to read them in a reasonable time. And as I read through them daily, I found that there were common points that lie in all people’s problems. Whether it is with family, health, or work—the cause of any problem comes down to how your kokoro is and how you interact with the other people no matter what the situation is. Plus, if you correct things based on the teachings of Kami, situations will always change. Sometimes in a miraculous way!
As I read the Yūwa in addition to Yorokobi no Koe, I started to understand how important human interactions are in people’s lives. Interaction with others was my weak point. So, I knew I had to do something about it. I decided that I wanted to do some volunteer work, so I contacted a local hospital to see if there was an opening for volunteers.
Wanting to Change the “Shy Me”
One of the positions available involved interacting directly with patients and family members. I would have rejected this position if it was me before learning the teachings. Although it was right in the middle of the pandemic and there would be a high number of Covid cases, strangely, I felt that “I have to do this!” So, I applied for the position and was accepted.
I started working in the hospital emergency room. I escort visitors who come to see patients in the emergency department. I also help take patients to the treatment room as well as bring them out when they are discharged. It has been an amazing experience. As an example, one time, a person came in with a sports injury. As I was bringing him out when he was being discharged to go home, I said to him, “Now you can go back to playing your game again!” And the patient replied, “Nahh…I think I’ll stay quiet for a while.” We both smiled and I wished him a good day. Another time, an older Japanese lady came in for treatment. She was obviously distressed and uncomfortable. I spoke to her in Japanese just making small talk and saw her relief in being able to speak to someone in Japanese and this put her more at ease.
I am happy that I can feel a connection with people through the interactions that I have as a volunteer. And this enables me to be even more interactive with people. It’s still a work in progress, but I can say I am less hesitant to talk to people and I am enjoying just random conversations that I have with people in everyday life too.
I am grateful that the teachings of Kami are leading me into a good direction in life. The daily reading of Yorokobi no Koe has helped me become who I am today. Yorokobi no Koe is just what I needed.
Heeding the Shinji to Understand the Reasons for the Joys Experienced
Shinji is the universal principle (truth), and can also be the guidance of life that foresees the future. Please feel the wonders of a life that flows exactly in a way the Shinji tells us when you live with the teachings of Kami.
Shinji
Human beings enjoy life, attain its true meaning and purpose as they make the best of their encounters, then pass away.
The effort to make the best of your encounters, elevates your life.
If the teachings become the support of your kokoro (life), everyone will seek to have a life where their encounters come alive.
The mindset (conviction) to live by the principles of the path deepens encounters and fosters life’s true meaning and purpose within the kokoro.