When Patsy wondered about something, she went to the library and tried to find the answer. It helped that she lived one block away from the library. 

"How do spiders make webs?" 

"What are rainbows made of?" 

The answers amazed her. She loved telling her friends what she learned. 

She became a science teacher. 

She heard about a grant that was intended to explore ways of increasing interest in science among high school students. She could still teach and, with some extra effort, she could make more money and help even more students enjoy science. It sounded ideal. 

She had to face two interviewing panels. The first panel would screen the hundred or so applicants down to ten who would be interviewed by the second panel. 

There were about 40 applicants in the waiting room. The person next to her had just gotten back from climbing the Alps. He was a Ph.D. and had written a book. 

She felt intimidated. 

She went into the interview room. There were seven panelists. She felt even more intimidated. 

One of the panelists seemed to scowl at her all through the interview process. After she answered each question, she thought to herself, "I am just being honest, but maybe I am being too negative. I do not think that that is what they want to hear." 

When she got home she threw her grant orientation packet in the trash. She called her best friend Marci and told her about the dread job interview. 

Marci listed to Patsy rant and when she got through, she said: "The person who scowled at you might scowl at everybody. He might have had indigestion. Maybe you were projecting the negative feelings that you were having onto the panel." 

Patsy said: "Well, it doesn't matter now. It is too late to do anything about it." 

Marci said: "I heard that before President Ikeda goes to see someone he learns all he can about them, then he chants Daimoku to prepare the way for the visit, and after he talks with them, when he gets back to where he is staying, he continues the conversation in front of the Gohonzon." 

"Wow!" exclaimed Patsy, "You mean I can still communicate with those panelists? Even if they are not here?" 

"That is what President Ikeda does," said Marci. 

"Thanks, Marci. I gotta go," Patsy told her friend. 

Patsy went to the Gohonzon and chanted to speak to the panelists with the wisdom of a Buddha. While she was chanting she got a call. They wanted her to come back for the second panel. She dug the orientation material out of the trash and read it. Then she chanted some more. 

The guy that scowled at her was on the second panel, but this time he seemed supportive (he still scowled, though). 

After the interview when she got home, she continued the conversation in front of the Gohonzon. 

A week later she got a call. 

She got the job.