No More Waiting - We Make it happen! Happy May 3rd!

(Excerpted from Linda Johnson's speech on May 3rd, 2015)
On this day, May 3rd, we each renew our determination to work for kosen rufu - world peace. I'd like to start with a quote from Daisaku Ikeda from page 60 of the May Living Buddhism. 

"Some people are never in the limelight, never in a position to receive praise and recognition from others. But "It is the heart that is important" (WND-1000). A person's greatness is not determined by social status. Our happiness isn't determined by our environment. A vast universe exists in our hearts, in our lives. We practice Nichiren Buddhism to open up that boundless inner realm.
"When we open that magnificent realm of the spirit, we will be champions wherever we might be. We will savor without end the wondrous delights of a truly profound existence. 
Many people seek success and importance in the eyes of the world, but few aspire to become truly great human beings. 

Many wish to be showered with praise and attention, but few strive to build an inner happiness that will remain undiminished until the moment of their death and extend throughout the three existences of past, present and future. 
Our greatness and happiness as human beings are determined by the strength of our life force, and our Buddhist faith and practice dedicated to kosen-rufu. 
We are striving day after day for kosen-rufu, an unprecedented ideal in the history of humankind. It requires incredible perseverance. Yet, because of that, we are absolutely certain to build lives of true fulfillment. 
How others view us is not important. Temporary successes or failures also do not matter. What counts is whether our faces shine with happy smiles at the very end of our lives. If we can look back and say, "My life was victorious. It was enjoyable. I have no regrets," then we are victors." 
May Living Buddhism, page 60. 

Nichiren Buddhism demystifies life because he explains all of life has two sides, the positive and the negative. And the reason we suffer is that we're unaware we have the same power within us that caused the sun to come up today. 

Having knowledge of this is of no value unless we can unlock this power. 
We each are in this movie we call life. We are the writer, the producer, the director and the protagonist. We direct the film every day with our thoughts, words and actions. Every one. 
This is both the source of our fortune and the source of our suffering. 

We practice to become happy. Happiness is not the absence of problems. Happiness is the ability to confront our problems head on and create value from our problems 

We need to learn we have control of our destiny and stop waiting for someone else to make us happy. 
Nichiren says that nothing outside of us is separate from us. All our actors in our movie reflect us. Some reflect wonderful us - and some don't. But they are the most important because we can't change what we cannot see. The person who causes you to suffer is there to help you decide "I'm gonna change my life today." 

We need to look inside. Any suffering has to be connected to our lives or we couldn't be experiencing it. But we can change it. 

Human revolution says "I'm going to pray to transform that suffering so I can be an example for others. My experience will inspire others." 

What is the number one requirement for all of us to live a victorious life? 

Courage. 

Faith exists for us to make the impossible possible. We don't practice to do what we could already do. 

As we mature in faith our intellect persuades us that things are not possible. We buy into the "reality" of our lives and don't seek to challenge them. 

Faith makes the impossible possible. 

We need to chant to transform obstacles even when the intellect has no strategy. 

When you take charge of your life what matters is your heart. 
"I'm making this happen with every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!" 

I met a young woman who hadn't gotten her citizenship interview and she told me "It's out of my hands." Well, she said that to the wrong person. As a Nichiren Buddhist nothing is out of your hands. I told her to chant "I'm making it happen right now!" This was Saturday. By Monday she had gotten a call for her interview. 

A terminal diagnosis from medical science just tells you medical science can't help you, but the great medicine of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo works for everyone. We need to challenge our lives with courage. 
A member in New York was given 3 months to live and 7 1/2 years later she is still living cancer free. 

We need to courageously use our faith to take charge of our lives. 

Nothing is more powerful than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 
Chant courageously and boldly for your dreams. 

Your dreams are the best gift you can give yourself. 
No one else can give them to you...
So starting today, from May 3rd create the greatest life beyond all expectations because you deserve it!

From May 3rd, 2015 speech. Chicago Illinois