New Year's Day Kosenrufu Gongyo Experience Speech 2009

Good Morning!  I am so blessed to be able to share my life with all of you today. Thanks to this amazing practice of Nichiren Buddhism, my life has developed into something so wonderful that I never could have imagined it. I am so completely happy right now, thanks to my faith. Every day just gets better and better. I am so blessed to have found this practice, and all of you.

In the world today, many people are suffering from adverse economic conditions. I have friends, neighbors, and classmates who have recently lost their jobs and are really struggling right now. I, myself, have suffered from adversity throughout my life. I am so grateful for adversity, and the benefits which it has brought to me. It is a gift from the Universe, which is designed to build us into better people, if we are aware enough to use it correctly. I'm so thankful for adversity that I wrote this poem about it to share with you.

Welcome!

I welcome the blessings of adversity,
For it has brought me
            tenacity, confidence,
                        and inner strength.

I welcome the blessings of adversity,
For it has taught me
            compassion, self-reliance,
                        and creativity.

I welcome the blessings of adversity,
For it has given me
            the courage to reach out,
                        and released me from pride.

I welcome the blessings of adversity,
Knowing that it will never defeat me,
            with the Lotus Sutra
                        in my life.

 Adversity has made me stronger, and more self-reliant, and more able to think creatively. It has taught me what really matters in life - not big houses and shiny cars and nice clothes and big screen TVs. What really matters is confidence and compassion and hope and faith. What matters is the ability to think of others, and to give your time and your patience and your ears to listen when someone needs to talk. What matters is to live a caring, loving life, whether we're living in a warm house, or living in our cars, or under a bridge. Because if we have faith in this practice, and we open our hearts to other people, then the universe will provide all that we really need.

I have discovered in my own life that I don't have to keep on suffering. Been there, done that! But with this practice in my life, I don't need to do it any longer. This year, I took a huge leap of faith, quit my job and started college, and I never want to look back. I decided that negativity has no value for me, and cut it out of my life. I decided to trust the universe, and myself, and devote myself to my dreams. And the blessings just keep flowing into my life.

 By being open to the blessings of the universe, and by opening myself up and sharing my life with others, every need has been met. But these are just physical things. The greatest benefits are things I never dreamed I could have. You, all of you, are an enormous benefit to me. You are my friends and my family and my teachers. You give me support and acceptance and love, and that means more to me than you can ever know. You have given me the courage to step out into the world, and the courage to meet strangers without fear. You have given me the confidence to succeed in my plans for the future. You have given me a life worth living.

I started college this past autumn, and have just finished my first semester with a 3.8 GPA. Not bad for a 273-year-old woman! In fact, I just found out that I made the Dean's List. I love college, and am so blessed to be able to do this. I am thriving on learning, and don't ever want to stop! I have recently made an addition to my Big College Plan. I am now resolved to get a degree in Library Information Technology, as well as the Associate of Arts degree and Creative Writing bachelor's and master's degrees.  I love books, and I love learning, so I just had to add this degree to my repertoire. The first three Soka Gakkai presidents Makiguchi, Toda, and Ikeda are so right - education rules!

I must thank Nichiren Daishonin, and the three Soka Gakkai presidents, and all of you. You have made this wonderful life a reality. Thank you all!