(Minghui.org) My maternal grandmother is 90 years old. She was a child bride and started working on the farm before she was 10. She was widowed early in life and had to take temporary jobs in a factory to make ends meet.
She raised seven children. Even though she is illiterate and has lived through many difficulties, she has always abided by the principle of “what goes around comes around.”
Predestined Relationship with Dafa
She used to tell me stories of the Jiangnan water towns, where people often burned incense to worship a Buddha and pray for peace. We used to enjoy festivals in the Buddhist and Taoist temples—until the largest ones were burned down by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
She said that she had seen many things during her lifetime but that it all came down to the realization that those who were selfish and hurt others would receive retribution from the divine and would not have a good end.
She taught me not to harm or be a burden to anyone and to always do good deeds and be a good person. She always thought that I was kind, honest, and well-behaved.
As a sophomore in my 20s, I caught a strange disease. The left side of my body was numb and weak. My face was swollen and I had excruciating headaches. I was diagnosed with a sensory neurological disorder.
My illness worried the elderly in my hometown. So that my family members wouldn't see my swollen face, I did not visit them during the Chinese New Year celebrations for many years.
Benefiting from Practicing Dafa
I obtained a copy of Zhuan Falun in 2012. Impressed by its profound Buddhist philosophy, I began practicing Falun Dafa. Within less than a month, I had recovered from all my ailments. My grandmother believed firmly that Dafa was able to save good people in distress.
Even though she was illiterate, she had good enlightenment quality. When she had cataract surgery in Beijing, she listened to the Dafa lectures every day and said Dafa was teaching people to be good. She recovered well from the surgery.
To fulfill my wish to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her, I took her to my home in Beijing in the fall of 2016.
After coming to Beijing, I taught her to recite “Falun Dafa is good.” I then taught her to recite “Dafa is good” because she could not remember too many words. She recited them to herself or out loud all the time. After a few months, she told me she would remember those three words forever. Seeing her smiling like a child, I was very touched.
I knew that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance had already taken root in her heart. After almost 90 years of hardship, she established a sacred predestined relationship with Dafa.
My mother was concerned about letting my grandma come to Beijing. After all, Grandma was very old. If something unexpected happened, it would be difficult for my mother to face her siblings.
Dafa gave me the wisdom to say to my mother, “Our lives are predetermined. Natural and man-made disasters will happen if they are supposed to, wherever we are. Grandma is still quite healthy and is still able to take care of herself. This is because she has done good deeds all her life.
“When people get older, they tend to enjoy the liveliness of a big family. This is the filial piety we should have. Most importantly, I am a Dafa practitioner, and the family members of those who cultivate in Dafa will be blessed.”
Dealing with Difficulties
As the 2017 Chinese New Year holiday neared, I became resentful because of difficulties at work and started to complain. My parents noticed and got upset with me.
I could not calmly read Zhuan Falun, and I remembered all kinds of injustices. I focused on how I was being wronged and forgot to look inward to find my own shortcomings.
My relationships with people at work became tense, the older members of my family came down with colds, and my grandma was constantly coughing. I initially thought that having the protection of Dafa meant there would be no serious problems. However, the trivial issues at work continued to upset me.
Every day my Dafa study time turned into watching TV dramas to alleviate my resentment. I was caught up in a spiral of emotions of fame, fortune, and suspicion.
Grandma's cough worsened, and she was not able to eat or sleep. Two days before the Chinese New Year she was admitted to a hospital.
The doctor advised us to be mentally prepared as her condition was very serious. She had a lung infection that had caused a buildup of fluid. She had problems eating and was fed intravenously. The doctor told us that, due to her age, if her condition showed any sign of deteriorating, they would have to intubate her, which was risky.
I finally awakened and realized that I had not been behaving correctly. Dafa protects good people who are assimilating to Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. I had to let go of bad thoughts and stop fighting for fame and fortune. I finally understood what I should do.
Only Dafa could rectify everything. With Dafa in my heart, I became serene and calm. I comforted my mother and let her take care of herself.
In the evening, I went to the hospital alone and brought two things: a computer and an MP3 player.
Looking at Grandma lying in bed suffering, I felt guilty. I said to myself confidently, “I believe in Dafa completely. I was wrong. I will do what a Dafa practitioner should do.”
Grandma was semi-conscious but I held her up and asked her if she still remembered the three words. She nodded and said she did. I told her, “If you are not feeling well, just keep reciting the three words. Master will definitely help you.”
Every evening she listened to Master’s teaching. Her severe cough would almost cease whenever she put on the headphones and she would fall asleep. By the third night, she slept quietly for several hours after listening to the Fa, which was very rare for someone with such acute lung disease.
I studied the Fa on my computer at night when she was resting and did the exercises in the morning when I returned home.
Germs abound in the Division of Pulmonary Diseases, where the patients with lung diseases cough and spit all night long. I took care of my grandma for five nights in the hospital and often visited her during the day, but I did not catch anything.
Grandma began to improve. She started to eat and was coughing less and breathing more easily. In less than two weeks she was discharged from the hospital. By the beginning of the 2017 New Year, Dafa had extended Grandma’s life.
My family witnessed the power of Dafa. My aunt, who’d seen Grandma recover, began to practice Dafa.
Grandma is now over 90. She is in good shape, her voice is strong, and she has only a little gray hair. She walks briskly and is capable of doing some housework.
After witnessing Grandma's recovery, my understanding of Dafa principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance has deepened. Falun Dafa is the Buddha law. If you keep compassion in your heart; are willing to accept Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance; and conduct yourself according to this standard, the power of Dafa will be reflected in you and you will be safe from danger.
