(Minghui.org) Thousands of articles were received in response to the recent Call for Submissions to Commemorate World Falun Dafa Day 2023. Sixty were published on Minghui.org and read by people around the world.
People in Taiwan who read them talked about their understandings. Many felt that practitioners’ dramatic improvement was amazing. Some readers said they learned a lot from these articles and were impressed by the power of Falun Dafa.
Wu Yiqin, manager of a fitness center in Taipei, said he was impressed by the article, “Being Kind Is Rewarded.” The author’s husband was jailed for crimes he committed and after he was released, he and his gangster friends planned to “make big money.” Despite how badly he treated her, his wife, a Falun Dafa practitioner, was always kind and patient with him. After talking with her, he decided to stay away from his gangster friends and avoided committing more crimes.
Then there was the couple’s nephew, who’d developed bad habits when he was a child. Although the nephew borrowed 70,000 yuan from the couple and was unable to repay them, they were always supportive and continued to help him. “I was very touched,” said Wu, “since most people would think the nephew was hopeless and have nothing more to do with him. But this practitioner and her husband were kind and eventually helped their nephew get back on track.”
After the practitioner was forced to stay away from home due to the persecution and her husband was jailed, the nephew stepped in and helped them. He later started a small business and ran it very well. “This is the power of kindness!” said Wu.
“The author is a strong woman. Being strong doesn’t just mean how one approaches life. It also means maintaining inner strength and not being taken down by obstacles. This practitioner did not have an easy life: Her husband was jailed and her father died. But no matter what happened, instead of complaining or giving up, she was able to remain kind. As a result, she repeatedly overcame difficulties.”
“Things happen unexpectedly,” Wu said. “Sometimes people become frustrated and blame others. If we can learn from this practitioner and treat everyone with sincerity and kindness, these obstacles may change and in this process we can improve ourselves so much—more than we expected.”
He added that this was the power of Falun Dafa. “The principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance can turn things around. Our kindness impresses the people around us.”
Lu Lizu, founding Chairman of the Taoyuan Taiwanese Culture Association, said he was impressed by the article “I Was Sweeping Snow off the Roof at Age 91.” Mr. Lu is 86. He’s very healthy and works on his garden. He can even climb to the top of his trees and trim branches, although his family tries to stop him.
The author of this article is a 94-year-old Falun Dafa practitioner in Hebei Province. She started practicing when she was 68 and is healthy and full of energy. The ailments that bothered her for decades disappeared, from laryngitis to lame legs. Her neighbors were happy for her.
This practitioner lives in the countryside and often rides her bike to her family’s fields to help harvest wheat and corn. She also waters and plows. It seems there is nothing she cannot do. In the fall, she prepares the land with a heavy metal rake.
Lu also grew up in the countryside and helped his family with farm work from the time he was in elementary school until he attended college. He said that was why the article resonated with him.
When the author was 91, she was still sweeping snow off the roof. A neighbor saw her and took a picture with his cell phone. He said, “Auntie, I want to take a picture of you and post it on the Internet so that people can see a 90-year-old lady sweeping snow off the roof! I plan to submit it to the Guinness Book of Records!” Lu said this is a testament to how extraordinary Falun Dafa is.
Her description of how she improved her character was also very touching. Following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, this practitioner always treats others well. Even when her daughter was bullied by her parents-in-law, she did not fight with them and handled the situation peacefully. “This is not easy to do since most parents do whatever it takes to protect their children. What this practitioner did is beyond what an everyday person could do—it is a testament to the power of kindness.”
Reading these stories made Lu even more curious about Falun Dafa. He said he would read Falun Dafa’s main book, Zhuan Falun. At the end of the article, the author wrote, “In the past, the emperors of China’s dynasties searched for the secret of longevity, but none found it. Today, this once-in-a-lifetime Dafa is spreading around the world. Whoever wants to avoid disaster, prolong life, and have good health, should practice Falun Dafa, and you will benefit endlessly.”
Lu agreed. He said good health and longevity are important. He feels it’s his responsibility to pass down the culture to future generations. He’s now learning the five exercises.
Lu’s wife Li is a teacher. She liked reading “Falun Dafa’s Principles Showed Me How to Treat My Hostile Mother-In-Law with Kindness”.
The practitioner always had conflicts with her mother-in-law, and neither one was happy. After she started to follow Falun Dafa’s teachings and look within, she became more compassionate, and her relationship with her mother-in-law improved a lot. Everyone in the family saw this and was impressed.
“Conflicts with in-laws are common in many families. It has been that way since ancient times,” Li said. “Falun Dafa practitioners are really outstanding. They are able to be considerate of others and change the situation completely. I will read Falun Dafa’s teachings and learn from them.”