(Minghui.org) I am a 41-year-old Falun Dafa practitioner who obtained the Fa on May 6, 2013. I always used to compete with everyone else, and I had a very hot temper. I held myself in high regard and thought I was much better than anyone else.
My mother-in-law had a similar personality and was known as a “tough woman.” When she confronted me, I certainly was not about to back down. Our relationship was very tense.
Since I was her daughter-in-law, I tried to restrain my behavior. For two decades, I lived under great stress because of our strained relationship. My husband was caught in the middle, and he also felt quite stressed. He rarely smiled. Over the years, my relationship with my mother-in-law just continued to deteriorate.
Everyone outside of my home who knew me thought I was very capable, but in the eyes of my mother-in-law, I was always second rate. She never stopped finding fault with me. To avoid confrontations, I tried my best to stay out of her way.
Due to my angry moods, depression, and long hours at work, I was always tired but still suffered from insomnia. One day I discovered a nodule in my throat that didn't go away even after surgery. I had to take pills every day. My voice soon changed, and I became hoarse. I also started to feel very weak.
Everyone in the family thought I was just lazy and treated me disrespectfully.For over two decades, I lived under an invisible cloud of stress. I was about to collapse mentally and felt powerless to help myself.
Feeling helpless and hopeless, I went to visit a neighbor next door. She had moved into the neighborhood from another town. Her son had a malignant brain tumor, and, after surgery, his face was paralyzed and he couldn't utter a word. The doctor said he might live for three to five more months at most.
After he practiced Falun Dafa, however, he recovered. He could take care of himself and talk like a normal person. He has now been practicing Falun Dafa for six years.
I went to my neighbor's house in hopes of obtaining some medicine that would actually work. Seeing I was distressed, she tried to comfort me and recommended that I practice Falun Dafa. I decided to give it a try. After practicing the first two of exercises, I was dizzy and fell on the sofa.
When I came to, she gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, and I took it home to read.
After I got home, I started reading the book and felt that it was very well written. I really enjoyed reading it and was able to read about 30 pages the first day. The miracle came the next day. When I got up that next morning, all the pain in my body had disappeared! I was full of energy and able to finish a lot of chores quickly. This, of course, made my family very happy.
Falun Dafa is simply amazing! Within just a short period of time, my health underwent a complete transformation. My hypertension was gone. My voice returned to normal, and I was happy every day. Shortly after I took up the practice, I found a job in a restaurant.
No matter how busy I was, I used every spare moment to study the Fa and do the exercises. Through Fa-study, I learned the importance of cultivating my heart (xinxing) and aligning my behavior with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I now put the interests of others before my own, and I always tried to dig out my attachments and inadequacies.
When I could not pass a tribulation, I would ask a fellow practitioner for advice. Gradually, I learned how to cultivate xinxing for real.
I no longer fought with my mother-in-law. I learned how to think correctly by putting myself in her situation. I knew her life had been difficult. Her husband died early in their marriage, so she had worked hard to bring up her children. I became more understanding of her and came to show more concern and care.
I usually came home late from work, but I still managed to get up very early in the morning to prepare breakfast for my family. After becoming a practitioner, I stopped getting angry with my mother-in-law and took better care of my family. I have always tried to look inward when encountering any problems.
Now I remind myself that, since I am a Dafa practitioner, I must not tarnish Dafa's reputation. In the past, I always thought about things from my own selfish standpoint and did not think about how others might feel. That was why I always got into conflicts with people, especially my mother-in-law.
But I am now a cultivator, and my family is very harmonious and supportive of me. My mother-in-law's attitude toward me has also undergone a tremendous change. She now treats me with more care and respect, and she even reminds me to do the exercises.
After decades, I now understand what happiness and warmth in a family really means. Since I began to practice Falun Dafa, all my worries have disappeared. I am happy every day. At work, I follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and get along well with everyone.
Master Li Hongzhi not only gave me a healthy body, but also a happy family. I am so grateful to Master Li and Dafa.