【Racing Against the Weeds】 If we waste away each day of our lives by doing nothing, it is like leaving a piece of land uncultivated and barren. If we understand that we must make the most of our time and opportunities to work hard and cultivate the fields of our hearts and remove the weeds there, then we will reap a harvest that corresponds to our hard work. Before I became a monastic, I lived in Fengyuan, Taichung. One day at Tzu Yun Temple, I met a teacher who was also visiting the temple. The conversations he had with one of the monastics there left a strong impression on me—whenever I start to grow lax, I think of his words. He said to the monastic, “The Buddha says that life is impermanent. I have come to deeply understand the truth of this, so I must quickly seize the time I have. However, Master, every day it feels like I am losing this race!” The monastic asked him, “What are you competing against?” The teacher replied, “I cannot compete with people, nor can I compete with the weeds.”