A car accident left a hairdresser permanently bedridden. Still, she forgives the person who caused the accident and courageously lives on.

Although Shen Wen-chen is seriously disabled, she has never given up. She is now trying her best to live an active life. Five years ago, she was content with her life as a hairdresser. She always worked until nine in the evening and then went home. Still, she enjoyed her work very much. Her greatest achievement and joy came from her customers' satisfaction and praise.

It was raining one evening by the time she called it a day. While she was riding her motorcycle home, she was hit head-on by a sedan and was knocked unconscious. When she woke up, she was in a hospital bed and a young man was pacing very nervously back and forth beside her.

"Are you okay?" Shen asked the man who had caused the accident when she woke up. She didn't even notice how serious her own injuries were. Instead, she showed her concern for him.

The young man, a soldier, jumped at Shen's question. He was quite worried about having caused the accident and was ready to receive a serious tongue-lashing. He didn't expect that Shen would treat him so nicely, and it made him feel guilty. He replied, "I'm fine. How about you?"

"What do you think?" asked Shen. Following Shen's eyes, the young man's shaking hand pinched Shen's feet, but she didn't feel anything. He was shocked and tears filled his eyes.

Shen tried to reassure him by saying, "Don't worry, I won't blame you for it. I guess you just couldn't see me clearly in the rain."

Shen felt that everything had been predestined.

A week before the accident, Shen had dreamed that she had a serious injury: her neck had been injured severely, the lower part of her body had become paralyzed, and her fingers had curled up and couldn't extend straight. So when the bad dream eventually came true, she couldn't do anything but accept the fact.

Shen was able to understand how frightened the young man was, so she didn't want to heap more blame on him. Besides, the young man's parents very sincerely wanted to pay her medical bills. Therefore, she decided to forgive him.

Although Shen understood how to empathize with other people, she still became depressed because of her disability. She began to close her heart off and refused to see other people. She even wanted to kill herself. She was only 32 years old, a time of vibrant youth, and she still had so many things to do. How could she be condemned to lie in bed for the rest of her life?

A new motto

Five years have passed since Shen was hospitalized, underwent operations and rehabilitation, and was finally discharged. During all this time, she has only been able to lie in bed, unable even to turn her body. She felt the time was unbearably long.

The period in the Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien was the darkest time in her life, but she also formed many friendships.

Shen said that many nurses came to chat with her when they had time. She had good rapport with every nurse who came to care for her. Even after she was discharged from the hospital, many nurses still came to see her at home.

During her hospitalization, volunteers would encourage her with speeches by Master Cheng Yen or read aphorisms from the Master's Still Thoughts to her. They also stayed with her and listened to Tzu Chi radio programs or used any other means to cheer her up.

The first volunteer Shen became acquainted with was Chiu-chung. Chiu-chung doesn’t talk much, but one can sense his sincerity. He simply sat quietly in a chair next to her without uttering a word. After a few times, Shen became curious about his presence and asked him, "What can I do for you?"

Chiu-chung was an honest man and simply asked, "Do you want to drink some water?" That made her chuckle.

Through Chiu-chung, Shen came to know another volunteer, Su Chu. Shen recalled that five years ago, when she was still in the rehabilitation ward, a smiling female volunteer came to her bedside. As they talked, Shen found out that the volunteer was like her, except that Shen herself was physically challenged and the volunteer had been injured psychologically by love.

Shen developed a very close friendship with Chu. They became like mother and daughter, and they poured out their hearts to each other to cure their wounds.

One day they were listening to a radio broadcast of a lecture by Master Cheng Yen. Shen especially remembered one phrase: "Respect life, value yourself, care for other people." This became Shen's motto. It has given her support and helped her start her life again.

Shen looked carefully at Chu and noticed that she was beautiful. Anyone who saw Chu would have thought she had a wonderful family, but the reality was that her failed marriage had broken her heart. Only those who have experienced a broken marriage can truly understand the unspeakable pain. Because Shen had a car accident and couldn't move her body, she was able to understand what suffering is--one can neither swallow nor describe it.

Shen suddenly had a new understanding: each person has his or her own life script, and only through one's own choices does life become enjoyable or unbearable.

Shen decided that instead of living miserably, she wanted to face reality and to strive forward. She reminded herself constantly of the Master's words: "I want to love myself more so that when there is enough love, I'll be able to help other people."

Chu was very happy to see Shen back to being herself. Their friendship still continues now, five years later.

A mother-daughter relationship

Chu said that when she first came to Shen's ward, Shen had covered her head with a comforter and refused to see other people. Chu had a problem of her own too: her husband had had an affair, and she had come to volunteer in the hospital to get her mind off it.

Shen remembered that when Chu first came to visit her, she looked like she had just been deserted by everyone she knew. She liked to sing a Tzu Chi song entitled "Relieving the Human World," and her eyes always became teary from the song. After singing it, Chu would try to talk and laugh with Shen, but in reality, her heart was still aching from her husband's infidelity. It was really heartbreaking to see her like that.

Shen was very depressed at that time due to her disabilities, but what made her feel worse was seeing Chu unable to free herself from her love for her husband and pretending to be strong. Shen finally said to her, "No matter how you suffer, you're still far better off than me! Look at me! I can only lie in bed all day and I can't move. And you? You at least have a healthy body!"

These words really enlightened Chu. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at this strong woman who was physically challenged but mentally tough. She also noticed Shen's forceful look, which made her embarrassed. Chu said, "I came as a volunteer to alleviate patients' pain, but instead I was awakened by a patient."

Although Shen is tough, there are times when she can't do anything. One time, Shen was having problems relieving herself at night, but she didn't want to wake up the night-duty nurses for help. So she endured the discomfort until morning when the nurse on duty came. When the nurse opened Shen's diaper, she discovered that her rear end had become red and swollen.

Seeing Shen in such an uncomfortable condition, Chu told herself, "Shen can't even manage to go to the toilet by herself. What can be worse than that? My suffering is nothing compared to hers!"

With smiles on their faces, Shen and Chu talked about these past events as if they were still vivid in their minds.

Keep encouraging others

In the summer, teachers, college students, and secondary school students come to volunteer in the hospital. Chu often brings them to visit Shen, and Shen always tells her story to encourage them.

Shen once conveyed a message to some teachers: "If a teacher can teach 40 students well, these 40 students can influence 80 parents. Society needs the work of everyone to become harmonious." She also told the students to cherish what they have and to have fewer desires. In that way, they will help society to become less greedy. Those who can donate money to help the needy are blessed.

Shen constantly reminds visitors and neighbors about recycling. She can't move her body and limbs, but she uses her mouth to teach other people about recycling. There are bags of plastic bottles and paper piled up in the front yard of her home.

Shen said that Hsieh Kun-shan [a famous Taiwanese disabled artist who paints with his mouth and foot] doesn't have two hands, but he can paint with his mouth. Shen is not good at painting, but she can still use her mouth to do good deeds. Shen's hands have atrophied, so it is difficult for her to pick up books. However, heaven has left her a pair of eyes and a mouth, which she has learned to use to the best of her abilities.

Currently, Shen can't move any part of her body except her head and her hands. She often watches Tzu Chi TV programs and is able to recount them after watching. Master Cheng Yen's speeches are her spiritual nourishment. Stories from Tzu Chi TV drama programs refresh her mind. She wants to speak to others of the wonderful stories she hears and sees.

Shen has also vowed to become a Tzu Chi commissioner, and she is trying hard to make that happen. Chu is certainly one of Shen's supporters. Through Chu's help, many students from the Tzu Chi College of Technology are sending their donations to Tzu Chi through Shen.

Chu said proudly, "I'm delighted to be able to guide her to her goal now!"

On a wall in Shen's room hangs a sketch of herself done by her brother. The beautiful woman in the sketch has long, curly hair. Shen now lies in bed with short hair, but she is still beautiful and content.

Shen is no longer the hairdresser who used to enjoy making herself attractive and pretty. But even after she put down her hairdressing tools, her life didn't stop there. Instead, she is using her commitment, an invisible force, to purify her mind and the minds of other people.