Recently I had the rare opportunity to ordain as a temporary Buddhist novice nun. I took on the 10 precepts, donned brown robes, shaved my head bald, had solid food only between dawn to midday and lived in a monastery to dedicate time for practice. It was a personal exploration of what and how my mind reacts and learns in such conditions.

Recently, I encountered a small but powerful reminder of this while walking to work. A snail was crossing my path, vulnerable to being crushed. Without hesitation, I lifted it gently, placing it safely out of harm’s way. In another instance, my friend Jin Jie and I saw a snail together. This time, instead of moving it myself, I asked him to help.