Elderly Man Changes His Behavior

(Minghui.org) A stubborn and surly 70-year-old old man resides in the apartment building where I live with my family. Every day, he sat on the steps in the corridor smoking a cigarette. The smell of smoke was so strong that it caused his neighbors to cough. He spat thick yellow sputum on the floor and threw cigarette butts around. During the winter, the windows of the corridors were tightly shut. Every time his neighbors passed by they would be choked by the unpleasant smell, which intensified as time went on.

The neighbors had a lot of complaints about this man. Some asked the building management office to deal with him, while others advised the man to smoke only in his own apartment with his windows open. Others asked the man’s wife to intervene, but with little success. One neighbor asked him to smoke after switching on his stove fan in the kitchen. Several neighbors even yelled and swore at him in the corridor for all to hear. However, these methods didn’t change the old man’s behavior at all, and he remained rebellious and uncooperative. The neighbors felt troubled and helpless.

I am a Falun Dafa practitioner and must follow the teachings of Master Li Hongzhi:

“You should always maintain a heart of compassion and kindness. Then, when you run into a problem, you will be able to do well because it gives you room to buffer the confrontation. You should always be benevolent and kind to others, and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems. Therefore, in cultivation practice you should follow a higher and higher standard for yourself.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

I realized from Master’s teachings that I should deal with this problem with kindness.

Having removed my attachments of resentment and feeling disgusted with filth, I often removed the cigarette butts and dried sticky sputum by cleaning the corridor with a mop. I sometimes came across the elderly man smoking and spitting in the corridor and I couldn’t help feeling resentful and imbalanced in my heart. Whenever this happened I immediately suppressed these bad thoughts, remembering that Falun Dafa cultivation practice requires us to be unselfish and always consider others first.

Some months passed until I could really tolerate the elderly man from the bottom of my heart. Even if I ran into him smoking and spitting in the corridor, I could sincerely say hello to him. Afterwards, with no complaints, I would continue cleaning up the cigarette butts and sputum. Unexpectedly, one day the man came to my house, feeling embarrassed and grateful, and asked, “Are you the one who often cleans the corridor and removes the rubbish by my doorstep?” My husband told him that it was I who did this. The man expressed his sincere gratitude to me.

My neighbor has truly changed. After a while, I found that there were no more cigarette butts or sputum on the floor of the corridor, and the air has now become fresh without any smell of smoke. Whenever I pass by this man’s door, I sincerely thank him for keeping the corridor so clean. I am thankful to him for giving me the opportunity for improving my character.

It is Falun Dafa that changed this stubborn elderly fellow and assisted him in willingly correcting his wrongdoings. Falun Dafa cultivation practice has changed me and helped me become a selfless person. Dafa has impacted the living environment of our neighbors, so they no longer feel distressed and helpless with this situation. Dafa can rectify everything incorrect and bring happiness to all beings.