(Minghui.org) Before I practiced Falun Dafa, I was diagnosed with many ailments, including stomach and intestinal ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, and a dysfunctional heart. I couldn’t sleep well, my face was purple, and my legs were swollen.
I then had the great good fortune to read the book Zhuan Falun and knew that it was what I had been looking for. From that day on I spent almost all my time studying and memorizing the Fa. Soon into the practice, I recovered from all my health problems.
Attachment to Family
I grew up in a very poor family and am the oldest of six children. Despite our financial difficulties, my father paid for my college education. For this I was very beholden to my family and decided that I would repay my parents for what they had done for me. After graduation, I kept 10 yuan and gave all the money I had saved to my parents.
All my siblings are younger than me. I am 21 years older than the youngest. I practically raised and took care of them, from helping with their school work and going to the parent-teacher conferences to job hunting and marriage. I would volunteer to help practically and financially if anyone had a problem.
One of my brothers has always had financial troubles. He set up a factory in 1995. Although I helped him financially, he did not appreciate it, and when he was going broke, he demanded that I give him 3,000 yuan. The last straw was when he attacked me physically, and we no longer communicated.
After I started on my cultivation path, I no longer hated him. Then, at my husband's funeral, he borrowed 4,000 yuan but neglected to pay it back. Then I gave him money when his son got sick-- out of sentimentality.
Master said,
“Cultivation practice must take place through tribulations so as to test whether you can part with and care less about different kinds of human sentimentality and desires. If you are attached to these things, you will not succeed in cultivation.” (Zhuan Falun)
“If you are free from this sentimentality, nobody can affect you. An everyday person’s mind will be unable to sway you. What takes over in its place is benevolence, which is something more noble.” (Zhuan Falun)
After reading Master's Fa, I knew that I must let go of my sentimentality and attachments to family. I stopped complaining and feeling wronged. Given my attitude, more than 30 of my family members knew that Falun Dafa is good. All of them quit the CCP and its youth organizations.
Watching My Speech
My youngest son got married in 2011 and we bought a house for him. But they lived with us in the winter because they did not have any heat. Our daughter-in-law was selfish and bossy and looked down on us. She even demanded a monthly allowance.
When they had a baby girl, I helped them a lot. I made a joke one day and my son took it the wrong way. He yelled at me to get out of his house.
I was awakened at that moment, looked within, and realized that my son would interpret what I said the wrong way. I knew that I should pay attention to my speech.
A year later my daughter-in-law wanted a divorce. She didn’t want the child or house, just money--100,000 yuan. A few months later they remarried. I took care of my granddaughter and cooked and did all the chores for them. My daughter-in-law treated me badly.
I complained to a practitioner, who said, “What a great environment to cultivate in.” I knew that Master was giving me a hint.
“In cultivation practice, there may be two scenarios when dealing with specific conflicts or when others treat you badly. One is that you might have treated this person badly in your previous life. You feel in your heart that it is unfair, “How can this person treat me like this?” Then why did you treat this person that way in the past? You might claim that you actually did not know it at that time, and this life has nothing to do with the other life. That does not work.” (Zhuan Falun)
“Think about it, everyone: You are practitioners. Shouldn’t you be required to meet a high standard? The principles of everyday people should not apply to you, right? As a practitioner, isn’t what you get something of high levels? Accordingly, you must follow the high-level principles.” (Zhuan Falun)
Although I went out of my way to help them, they did not show any appreciation. When they fought, she would come to my house. If I didn’t answer the door, she would have someone dismantle the lock. There was not much I could do.
Changing Into Different Person
In the past I used to be irritable, self-righteous and bossy and never listened to anyone. A few years into the cultivation practice, I became generous and tolerant. Now, I am considerate, accept different opinions and thank those who mistreat me. Without them, I would not have improved.
I felt sorry for my daughter-in-law because she refused to listen to the truth about Dafa and the persecution. She prevented me from meeting her family and talking to them about Falun Dafa.
Then, last year she asked for another divorce, and I just ignored her. She changed her mind and asked that we get along just like a mother and daughter. I also came to realize that before they got married, my son did no household chores. Now, he can cook, do laundry, clean, and care for his daughter, all thanks to his wife.
I often talked to my son about Dafa. He now supports me doing Dafa work. I see him as another sentient being instead of a relative. I do not want anything from him and his wife. I just want to become a better person. It does not matter how they treat me. After I let go of my attachment to them, they rarely fight.
Letting go of ordinary people’s sentiments changed me. I believe that these changes happened because I diligently studied and memorized the Fa. When I encounter tests, I can remember Master's Fa and act accordingly.
