[Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day] The Transformation of a Community Grid Worker After Reading Zhuan Falun

(Minghui.org) At the 33rd anniversary of Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) spreading around the world, I would like to share a story that happened around me.

There was an inexpensive barbershop on the way I took my grandchild to school, so I often took the child in to get a haircut. My son-in-law also got his hair cut there. For some reason, the barbershop was often closed. There was a phone number on the door, but no one answered the phone. So people could only go in to get a haircut when it happened to be open.

The barber was a young lady who seemed a little strange. She was quiet most of the time and almost never smiled. After meeting her several times, I learned that her main job was a community grid worker, and she only worked cutting hair part-time. (Editor’s note: a community grid worker in China is responsible for monitoring people within the community to control social order.)

One day, when my son-in-law was getting a haircut there, the barber started to talk to herself: “It’s great to be young (referring to my son-in-law’s youth). Alas, I’m over 40 and I don’t know how I should walk my life path. Should I continue or give up?”

My son-in-law was quick to reply, “Sister, you are also very young!” After a small chat, my son-in-law found that she was only one year older than him.

“Life is not easy,” my son-in-law continued. “Everyone has their own difficulties to face.” In fact, my son-in-law and my daughter had many challenging times after they got married. My daughter suffered from depression, but eventually they got through it. My son-in-law briefly told the barber about this. He finished by saying, “No matter what happens, you must face it optimistically and trust that you can get through it.”

The barber seemed surprised after hearing this, and sighed. “Yes, It’s true that every family has their own difficulties.” She started to talk about the troubles she was facing. She said that she and her husband originally worked in the same large state-owned enterprise. She quit her job to take care of her family and children. Her husband later got promoted, but had an affair with a female subordinate in the same office. In addition to taking care of their children, she also had to keep an eye on her husband. On one hand she wanted to divorce, but on the other she was unwilling to do so, thinking that she had given so much to the family, and if she divorced, she would end up with nothing. She resented her husband, and was so angry when she thought of him and his mistress. Sometimes she would rather lie in bed and do nothing than come to the barbershop to open the business.

“You are a community grid worker, and I would like to tell you something,” my son-in-law said, “My mother and mother-in-law practice Falun Gong. Both of them have hugely benefited physically and mentally [from the practice]. I also know many people whose characters improved after they practiced Falun Gong. Their families that were on the brink of collapse were then reunited.”

The barber’s eyes widened, “Ah, you shouldn’t have told me your family members practice Falun Gong. You know, the upper officials asked me to keep an eye on you people!

“But don’t worry,” she continued, “I will definitely keep this a secret for you. I have no energy to care about these things.” Then she asked, “Is Falun Gong really so good? The government said that the practitioners go crazy and even burn themselves!”

My son-in-law explained that it was all propaganda slandering Falun Gong. He detailed how the Tiananmen Square self-immolation was all made up, with the sole purpose of brainwashing and cheating the public.

“So they don’t go insane?” the barber asked. “How long have you practiced? You’re not abnormal, are you?”

“I started practicing Falun Gong with my mother when I was 11,” my son-in-law replied, “I went to college, got a master’s degree, and started working. Do I look like I am mentally ill? Dafa’s Master teaches us to be good people, do our work well, take care of our families, and be good in all aspects.”

“How long does it take to be effective if I start to practice?” she asked.

“I will lend you a Falun Gong book. Take a look at it and you will surely understand something.”

My son-in-law hurried home on his bicycle to collect his precious copy of Zhuan Falun. He gave the book to the barber when no other customers were in the shop, and told her to wash her hands before reading it. The barber said, “I will return the book as soon as I’ve finished.” My son-in-law told her not to rush, and read the book with a calm heart.

When the barber saw that the book was wrapped in a book-cover she was relieved. “I will leave the book in the shop and read it when I have time. I can’t take it home. If my husband finds out, he will divorce me.”

Several days later, she called my son-in-law, telling him that she had finished reading the book and that he could take it back. She also asked what cultivation really is. My son-in-law told her that he would talk to her when he next goes to her shop.

My son-in-law did not find time to go to the barbershop immediately. One afternoon, when I picked up my grandchild from school, I passed by the barbershop and saw it was open. I went in and told the barber that I was a family member of the man who lent her the book.

“Does it really work?” she asked excitedly, as her eyes opened wide.

Her face was rosy and full of energy. She looked younger than before. “You look really good, and you look a different person from before you read the book,” I told her.

She smiled, “I understand the book, as it tells people to be good. So when I thought of my husband’s affair again, I made myself think of the words in the book, ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.’ Yes, I’ve changed.

“I hated my husband for having an affair,” she continued. “You know, I was so angry that I wanted to kill him. Would I poison him or strangle him? Many times I made a scene, and my husband would call the police. The police came to my house several times, causing unrest among the neighbors. I also went to his workplace to make a scene. I went to his boss, and I monitored him at his workplace. I also went to his mistress’s home to make a scene. The reason I opened a barbershop here was to monitor the building where the mistress lived. They all thought I was crazy. Thinking about these things now, I really regret it and feel ashamed.”

She said she had not had a video-chat with her husband for four days. She used to video-chat with him every day in order to monitor him. I remembered it was exactly four days ago when my son-in-law took the book to her.

“This morning I went to jog with my husband. He looked at me and wondered why I was a changed person,” she said smiling.

I told her, “It is Dafa that changed you. You should continue to read the book!”

I talked more about Falun Gong. After understanding the truth, she quit the Young Pioneers (one of the Chinese Communist Party’s youth organizations), and accepted an amulet with Dafa information on it.

She told me that as a community grid worker, she used to collect truth-clarification materials that Dafa practitioners left on peoples’ doors. I told her not to do that any longer, and she could give me the materials she had collected. I said seriously, “These materials are meant for people to understand the truth of Dafa and be saved.”

She said to me, “Everyone advised me to divide the properties and get a divorce. Only you two (referring to me and my son-in-law) advised me to be a good person and have it influence my husband. Both of you are really good people!”

When I next took my grandchild there for a haircut, I learned that her relationship with her husband had gradually improved, and her husband had also become a better person because of her changes.

I wish more people to know that Falun Dafa is good, for Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance truly brings wonders to people!

(Selected submission in celebration of 2025 World Falun Dafa Day on Minghui.org)