My memory of limping True Father and the chair

One time when I was on a workshop in the New Yorker we went to see Father [at Belvedere] and I had an experience that I will never forget. I cannot remember if it was 1981 and a 21 day workshop with Phillip Schanker or 1983 (maybe) 40 day workshop with Kevin McCarthy.

On this day Father was seemed to be having problems with his legs. He kept leaning on the little shelf of the blackboard and he kept on squatting down. While he was talking an elder sister (probably Korean) got up and picked up one of the chairs beside the stage and stood it on the stage for Father to sit down on.

Father stopped in mid-sentence; walked over the chair and kicked it off the stage. There was a big intake of breath around the room as Father glared at the sister as she walked, totally unconcerned, back to her place on the floor by the wall of the garage. Father followed her with his eyes as she crossed the room then turned to us and gave one of his big smiles. We all laughed with relief as we were half expecting bolts of lightning.

Later, back at the workshop, the lecturer (probably Kevin) said that Father had a long-standing condition not to sit down when he gave public speeches. By putting the chair on the stage, the sister was tempting Father to break his condition. Father kicking the chair was a bit like Jesus saying “Get behind me Satan”.

The sister had expressed her heart to serve and support True Father. She was unconcerned that Father expressed anger in such a dramatic way. She did not take it personally, seemingly, as she had a deeper understanding of the world of heart. This was explained by Father’s big smile.

I got a deeper understanding of the conditions Father made for us and, once again, that there is always a deeper way to look at things.