The Kindness of Friends and Strangers

I’m Rachel Chen, originally from Chicago, now a violist with Shen Yun Performing Arts. In this blog, I write about how I am constantly reminded of the principles of my faith by the actions of my friends.

The afternoon sun shone brightly into the rowdy classroom, the sounds of scribbling threaded through clouds of laughter. It was the end of the school year, and for us fifth graders, it was the end of our reign as the leaders of the school and the beginning of a new era of our lives. With final exams and report cards out of the way, we were tasked with one last thing: our yearbook quote.

Looking back, it seemed a bit strange to be writing a yearbook quote when I was only graduating Kingsley Elementary School, but at the time, I took it as seriously as beating my cousin at hide and seek. 

I looked down at the prompt:

Name: Rachel Chen

Favorite Food: French Fries

Favorite Book: Fever 1793

When I grow up I want to be: …

Hmmm… What did I want to be when I grew up? It seemed a bit early to be thinking of the future when I was only 10 years old…

I looked around at my fellow classmates for inspiration. Many people had written down a slew of options ranging from professional football player to celebrity chef. Some had aspirations such as President of the United States or Hollywood A-list actor. But what did I want to be when I grew up? 

I turned to my deskmate, “Hey, what did you write for the last part?” She smiled and angled her paper towards me: When I grow up I want to be: A good person.

Huh. A good person.

Little did I know, this small incident would stay in the back of my mind for many years.

What makes someone a good person? At the time, the answer seemed simple: Be nice to others, share with others, help others in need. In addition to these qualities, for me personally, there was also following the ideals of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the principles of Falun Dafa. 

My parents were first introduced to Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice for mind and body, in the early 90’s before I was born. As I was growing up, I felt myself drawn to the calm exercises and asked my parents to teach them to me. At the same time, the morals of Falun Dafa shaped how I was brought up—my parents were loving yet strict, encouraging me to aim higher without crushing the fun of childhood. 

With the principles of Falun Dafa embedded in my life, being a good person seemed natural to me. I was always open to sharing my snacks with others and, whenever I felt wronged, my mother encouraged me to find within myself where I can improve, rather than blame others.

After moving to New York to study at Fei Tian and later joining Shen Yun Performing Arts, I found myself surrounded by like-minded young people. Everyone here exuded kindness and compassion. After just a few weeks, I realized that I didn’t stand out. I could say without hesitation that every person’s fundamental core was kind. 

Here, everyone around me strives to abide by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It seems like being a good person is the basic minimum.

One particular incident from my days at Fei Tian College left a deep impression on me. A classmate was running late, so after finishing her breakfast in the dorm, she left in a hurry without cleaning up after herself. When I saw the mess, I just thought to myself: “Ugh, it’s ok I’m sure she’ll clean it up after she comes back.” 

I continued to get ready for my day when I noticed another classmate washing her dirty bowl. To me, it seemed necessary for one to clean up after themselves, so I approached the classmate to tell them to leave it for the person responsible.

To be honest, I expected her to be frustrated at the mess, and that’s why she decided to clean it up. But instead of being disdainful, she responded calmly: “It’s no big deal, she was busy and didn’t have time. Cleaning this up doesn’t bother me, and it helps clear the space for others.”

I was taken aback. Technically speaking, it wasn’t wrong of me to do nothing, but my classmate’s selflessness changed my perspective. It served as a reminder—being kind doesn’t stop at how you treat situations directly related to you, it’s also having a sense of selflessness that shows up in all aspects of your environment. 

Over my years with Shen Yun, I’ve witnessed so many acts of benevolence within the company. The people here do good deeds quietly on their own without seeking recognition or praise. This completely debunked my understanding of what it means to be a good person and motivated me to be more determined and steadfast in my spiritual practice.

And I started noticing this kindness in others in daily life wherever I may go. Last year, after visiting family in Chicago I was flying back to New York with my sister, who is also a musician. It was a completely packed flight, and by the time I had boarded, there was no space overhead for our instruments.

I could feel myself panicking as I tried to find a space to no avail. In the end, the flight attendants insisted that we check-in our instruments, practically pushing us off the plane. 

This may not seem like a big deal, but it’s actually very dangerous for fragile string instruments to be checked in and they can really be damaged. In a moment of despair, I turned toward the passengers, mustered up as much courage as I could, and loudly announced: “There’s no space for our instruments in the overhead, but we really can’t check them in because they can break. Our instruments are very valuable, is anyone here willing to check in their luggage to make space for our instruments?”

Silence. Then…

“I can put my bag under my chair…”

“Actually, you can hand me my bag, it fits underneath.”

“Take mine down as well, I’ve heard the horror stories.”

As these kind strangers cleared a space for us, the entire plane erupted into applause. It truly was a moment that I would never forget.

And yet, when I think about it—this kind of thing also happens here on a daily basis, it’s just that we’re so used to it we don’t even notice it anymore. When I get on our orchestra bus, a spot for my instrument is already cleared without me even asking for it or knowing who did it.

I can’t help but feel at ease to be surrounded by so many compassionate people. Not only am I constantly reminded of the principles of my faith by the actions of my friends, I am also able to see things around me as hints of how to improve myself. 

Now when I think back to that moment in fifth grade, I can’t help but wonder how different my life would have been if I hadn’t come to Fei Tian and Shen Yun. Would I still be able to maintain my sense of morality in a world that is changing by the second? Would I be the first to help out a stranger on a plane? Would I still be able to call myself a good person? 

I am so grateful to be surrounded by so many kind friends and colleagues who approach problems with such determination that it regularly leaves me inspired.

“Experience is the teacher of all things,” said Julius Caesar. Every day is an opportunity to learn. And when you experience kindness each day, it’s hard not to feel the urge to examine yourself for ways to become a better person.