(Minghui.org) My mother used to be strong-willed, authoritarian, and unreasonable. Neither my two elder sisters nor I liked her much at all. Nevertheless, she worked hard and was willing to help others. Still, even father was afraid of her, and the entire family had to be very careful at home not to anger her.
Wanting to Be a Good Person
A year after I got married, which was in 1996, mother told me that she met a group of people in my residential community who were doing some sort of exercises. She said she also learned the exercises, and after practicing them, she was able to walk up the stairs to my eighth floor apartment without getting tired. She was truly amazed.
She had just retired and was happy she found this fitness exercise. In this way, mother started practicing Falun Dafa in 1997.
Father told us that mother was doing quite well by practicing Falun Dafa. She was healthy, and she never missed making meals for him. He also observed that mother did not get angry as frequently. Instead, she kept telling him that she wanted to be a good person. However, we did not really take mother's trying to be a good person that seriously.
Persecution
Soon, father said that mother had become stubborn again. What worried us was that father was not whining, but that he appeared quite upset. I now had a baby of my own, and lived over 60 miles from my parents. Fortunately, my mother-in-law agreed to take care of my baby while I visited my parents.
When I arrived, only father was home. “The government banned Falun Dafa,” he said. “Because it is banned, one can simply stop practicing, yet your mom won’t listen. She insists on practicing. If she doesn’t give it up, she could be arrested!”
I wasn't as concerned, but father replied, “You haven’t gone through the Cultural Revolution, so you wouldn’t know about it.”
“Dad, we've known since we were little how she always gets her way,” I said. “Even though you’re trying to talk her out of it with her own interest in mind, she probably won’t listen to you. You really need to take good care of yourself instead.”
Tears ran down my father’s face. His next words especially surprised me. He said, “Now that I have no influence over her, I will curse her Master!”
Not long after, father died of stomach cancer. I was so depressed, and I hated my mother terribly.
Exceptional Truths in Zhuan Falun
Four years after father passed away, mother moved to the city and lived close to my home. One morning in the late fall, I took my daughter to school. It was still too early to go to work, so I stopped at mother’s place to stay warm. Upon seeing me, she asked me to read Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa. I ignored her and pretended to watch television.
Mother told me that she would not lie to me. Her words caught my attention, as I had said the same thing to my daughter that morning. I asked her to repeat what she just said. I then had a sense that I should indeed take a look at the book.
I quickly finished reading Zhuan Falun in one sitting. I told my sister, “After reading this book, I don’t know why, but my vision is so broadened. If Mom really follows what the book requires, not only would she become a good person, she could even become an immortal!”
My sister laughed, but said she also wanted to read it. My oldest sister refused because it was something from mother.
Karmic Debt Determines Destiny
Something my grandfather’s sister once said always left a deep impression on me. She took care of her elderly father, a grouchy old man, who was in his nineties. She often said that she only looked after him because he was her father. I used to harbor the same feelings toward my mother.
But after I read Zhuan Falun, I changed my feelings toward her. I realized that things may be different from what we perceive. Karmic retribution and suffering go hand-in-had with paying back karmic debt. Then, who determines our destiny? The book stated clearly that enlightened beings—that is, lives of higher levels, gods, and Buddhas—are in charge.
Only righteous gods offer guidance on our search for happiness in life. When confronting misery, if one knows how to endure and diffuse the obstacles, then one is truly a wise person. Such a person is just like those who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Such a person is destined to receive blessings.
From this principle, I began to look at my mother in a different light.
Rescuing Mother
Years ago I wished that through cultivation she would say goodbye to misery and embrace blessings. Every day since 2005, mother has persisted in cultivating Falun Dafa. She's thus remained in good health, but as of a few years ago, every once in a while she would still get hot tempered. In the most recent years, however, she has been a very compassionate elderly lady. Her skin is fair, her eyes bright, and her smiles are often seen at the corner of her mouth.
She was arrested and taken to a police station in 2008. My eldest sister held a family meeting. She told us, “Don’t be afraid. I don’t think the government would arrest a kindhearted elderly lady while turning a blind eye on corrupt officials. Let’s go tell our friends about mother's situation, spend whatever is necessary to pay those that need be paid, and not be stingy.”
Mother was held for 36 hours in the police station. When she saw us waiting for her outside the gate, I saw for a brief moment a glistening of tears in her eyes.
Grateful to Falun Dafa
Mother now lives a routine life. She does grocery shopping, cooks, washes clothes, reads Falun Dafa books, practices calligraphy, visits neighborhoods, practices the Falun Dafa exercises, and teaches her grandchildren to be good kids.
Sometimes I think about father and regret that he did not live to see our mother of today—a woman with a whole new personality brought out by Falun Dafa.
A few days ago, I went to visit her, to see if she needed any groceries. She said, “Girl, take a look at this. Can you help me write it?” I took the sheet, and it was a call for papers to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.
“Of course,” I said. “It will be easy to write an article for this. I don't need to make anything up, nor do I need to lie about anything.”
I am grateful to Falun Dafa, which has brought us a completely changed mother!I am grateful to the Master of Falun Dafa, who has brought us a happy, extended family!
