I was chanting at a Buddhist centre yesterday when a guy walked in and sat down to chant. He wasn’t sitting anywhere near me but I suddenly smelt the strong smell of cigar coming from him. It was so powerful that I started complaining in my head about how offensive I found it, instead of paying attention to the sound of the words Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. As I continued to chant I remembered that not complaining was part of my daily 0,1, 2, 3 challenge, so what could I do? Tolerate it or deal with it. I got up and moved seats.
This may seem like a minor thing to share but I think often we complain about things without looking at ourselves for a solution. It’s easier to complain when we think other people are the problem but complaining wouldn’t have changed matters; I had to take action. I hope putting down these experiences will make it easier to recall the benefits of being proactive with my complaints.