(Clearwisdom.net) My family is very special. Let me begin with some stories about my grandparents.

In the 1950s, my grandfather was executed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He was accused of the "crime" of being an "counter-revolutionary." My grandmother was only thirty years old. She was a small, gentle woman. She survived, but only after announcing that she "drew a line" between her and her "counter-revolutionary" husband. She dried her tears and ended her luxurious lifestyle. With four young children, she lived with her poor family and started a new life, struggling in the lowest level of society.

My grandma and her four children used to be kind and honest. However, their good character traits gradually disappeared as the years passed. Outside of the family, they never made trouble and knew "not to talk or act bluntly," "to comply with the Party," and " to draw a line" between themselves and their "counter-revolutionary" father to protect themselves.

In order to survive under the CCP's tyranny, they were forced to abandon their own thoughts. They were trained not to think, nor dare to judge the difference between right and wrong, kindness and evil. All they had was their fear of the CCP. All they could do was to act exactly the way the Party told them to and speak only about what the Party told them to. This was the only way that they could protect themselves. They naturally developed the understanding that any decision they made in order to survive was right, even if it was immoral.

The tragedy of my family is indeed the tragedy of all Chinese people. Starting from day one [when the CCP came into power], it has never ended. Time passes, and this tragedy continues, only with different content; it has never stopped!

After the "Cultural Revolution," my mother voluntarily joined the Party. She found a decent position in her work unit. She finally felt that others would not discriminate against her, and the Party no longer shut their doors to her. She was grateful to be finally accepted by the Party. My oldest uncle, who had been politically right-wing for most of his life, and my younger uncle and older aunt, who had struggled their entire lives in the lowest level of society, firmly believed that the Party was always right and that any faults were always their own.

This is the story of my mother's family. The story of my father's family is similar.

Therefore, my younger brother, sister, me, and my cousins all had miserable childhoods. When we grew up, most of us had to cope with poor living conditions. Poverty, disease, fights, and quarrels were a way of life. We struggled in desperation.

Although I was the most accomplished member of my family, having a successful career and my own harmonious family, I was still not happy. I found that I had inherited my father's character, and carried on the curse of his fate to my family. I could not get along with those around me. I was born with a sense of insecurity and fear. Unable to sleep at night, I complained that life was unfair to me. I complained that my grandmother and my mother were of bad character. I researched all kinds of religious books, hoping to find the solution, but I failed. The ocean of suffering is boundless. Where could I find the shore?

One day, I found Falun Dafa. With the book Zhuan Falun in my hands, I could feel its impact - its profound principles told me the meaning of life. I was gradually freed from my nightmarish past. I have changed physically and spiritually. I felt that my life started anew!

Since July 20, 1999, I have suffered repeated torture, because I practice Falun Gong. I have been deprived of the basic rights of a citizen. During the past ten years, I have been repeatedly arrested and detained, and my house ransacked because I appealed for Falun Gong and clarified the truth. I was expelled from my work unit. Furthermore, Party spies threatened me to get information that they wanted, and even planned a trap to deceive my husband, so that they could destroy my family.

At the beginning of the persecution, my mother asked me, "Are you really mentally ill after practicing Falun Gong? Aren't you just looking for trouble?" Her eyes were filled with fear and hopelessness. She was shaking uncontrollably, as if the nightmare of the Great Cultural Revolution had returned.

In her view, we don't need to think about who or what is right or wrong. Since the government prohibited it, we must stay in line with the government thinking. Protecting ourselves is most important. It doesn't allow us to practice, so we stop practicing. It is such simple logic, but I did not do what she hoped I would. Consequently, she was very disappointed and angry with me. She could not understand why I would be willing to risk my bright future for my belief, which "could not be food or drink." She told me, "I am old, and I don't want to be frightened any longer. I want to have a peaceful life." After going through the processes of formal separation according to our family standard, she left me and never wanted to see me again.

I don't hate my mother, because I know that she is also a victim. After many twists and turns, we finally met again. She was so surprised when I brought my husband and children to visit her. According to her "past experiences," my stubborn persistence in practicing Falun Gong was like throwing an egg on a stone. It is Heaven's mercy that I was not tortured to death.

After reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, my mother cried for several days. This book made her realize that the Party was source of her whole life's suffering and the source of the tragedy of one generation after another in her family. She regretted that she had hated her father, due to her fear of persecution. She persuaded my aunt and uncles to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. However, my oldest uncle refused to withdraw, and thought that we were involved in politics.

On December 29 last year, my oldest uncle was critically ill. The hospital notified his family twice concerning his critical condition, so they prepared for his funeral. On January 3^rd, my mother and I visited him. My mother told him about the changes in her thinking and that he could only be saved by withdrawing from the CCP. My mother said, "You are old. Even if you are alive, no one would think that you would fight against the CCP. It's for your own sake. Our family has suffered so much. We cannot mistaken an enemy for a friend!"

His eyes gradually brightened. He gently nodded his head and agreed to withdraw from the CCP. He also agreed to recite "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good" and "Falun Dafa is good." It was 11:00 a.m.

At around 2:00 p.m., his condition significantly improved, and he made progress daily.

After ten days, he was released from the hospital.

Our whole family was amazed. They witnessed the wonder and magnificence of Dafa! Dozens of people in our family subsequently withdrew from the CCP.

After withdrawing from the CCP, my mother's health is improving. Witnessing my uncle's recovery, she believes in Dafa even more firmly. Now my mother is very proud to be a practitioner. She studies the Fa and practices the exercises daily. She often tells people that she has finally found happiness after suffering for so long.