(Minghui.org) Fellow practitioners have taken up their pens to share their cultivation experiences and affirm the beauty of Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong). I do not have any extraordinary deeds to share, but I will talk about what has happened in my family.
In 1998, my in-laws began practicing Falun Dafa, and I noticed significant changes in them. My father-in-law’s back pain and rheumatism completely disappeared, and my mother-in-law stopped cursing at people. One time, when I visited their home, I saw my mother-in-law reading a book. I playfully asked, “Why didn’t I hear you cursing today?” My mother-in-law replied, “I learned Falun Dafa. Master Li doesn’t allow us to curse at people. We don’t fight back when we’re hit, and we don’t talk back when we’re insulted. I needed to change. This book is very good. You should read it too.” I said I didn’t have time for the book and then I left. After some time, in early 1999, my father-in-law gave me the precious book, Zhuan Falun, and I started practicing Falun Dafa.
After the persecution of Falun Dafa began in July 1999, I lost my job because of my faith. My husband also lost his job. He complained that he couldn’t hold his head up because I practiced Falun Dafa. He scolded both me and our child all day long. Instead of looking for work, he just stayed at home. What should I do? I prayed to Master in my heart, saying that as long as I could continue practicing Falun Dafa, I would be willing to take any job that came my way. The next day, a fellow villager who was also a practitioner told me, “You can sweep the streets. They need one person. The pay is eight yuan a day.” I accepted the offer right away. The following morning, I woke up at 3:00 a.m., practiced the Dafa exercises for an hour, then went out to work at 4:00 a.m. I worked until seven or eight o’clock, went home to eat, and then returned to work overtime without pay. By the end of the day, my hands and feet were blistered, but I managed to endure it.
Our Master taught us that no matter where we are, we should strive to be good people and adhere to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. With Master's words in my heart, I was cheerful all day. I was willing to take on any task, including cleaning toilets, removing manure, and cleaning sewers. Regardless of how dirty or tiring the job was, I completed it without complaint. As a practitioner of Falun Dafa, I was mindful not to tarnish the image of Dafa. After work, I would do the three things with fellow practitioners. My work ethic did not go unnoticed. Soon, my boss praised my work, saying that he felt confident in my performance, no matter where he assigned me. He promoted me to team leader, which provided me more opportunities to clarify the truth about Dafa to others. I helped staff from the health team withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I am grateful to Master for his arrangements, which kept me from falling behind in my cultivation.
Years went by, and gradually my husband began supporting my cultivation. My son finished college and found a job. He told me that he had a girlfriend. I asked him, “Have you told her that your mother practices Falun Dafa?” He replied, “How could I not tell her about such an important thing? But her mother is a Christian, so you must not let her know about that.” I held my tongue and inquired about her family’s expectations. My son said, “Her mother wants us to buy an apartment in the city. We can talk about other things later.” I was worried and said, “Our family is not well off. We have spent all our money on living expenses and supporting your education. How can we afford to buy an apartment in the city?” My son didn’t say a word. I thought raising a daughter wasn’t easy, and who wouldn’t want their children to have a good life? I said, “Alright, as long as the girl doesn’t mind that our family is not wealthy. You must treat her well and not let her down.” So I borrowed money to buy an apartment for my son, and he got married.
To pay off our debts, I worked two jobs, and my husband went to Beijing to work. A year later, my son and his wife had a baby boy, and I cared for him full-time. My daughter-in-law’s father passed away, and her mother was in poor health. Concerned for her mother, my daughter-in-law often felt anxious, so I asked my son to bring his wife’s mother to our home so we could support each other. I took on the responsibilities of caring for the baby, cooking, and managing household chores. However, I neglected to keep up with Fa study and the exercises. The only time I went out was to distribute truth-clarification materials. I realized I had been slacking off in doing the three things, and my human notions began to surface. Despite my efforts, my daughter-in-law seemed dissatisfied with me no matter what I did.
My daughter-in-law’s mother also began criticizing me. One day, she claimed that my practice of Falun Dafa would negatively affect my son and his wife’s future. She said that if she had known about my practice earlier, she would never have allowed her daughter to marry into our family. Soon after, my daughter-in-law also started to interfere with my cultivation. She forbade me from studying the Fa or doing the exercises at home, even threatening to divorce my son if I continued. I responded, “If I have done something wrong, I can correct it. But if you don’t allow me to practice Falun Dafa, I will never give it up. I can move out if necessary; no one can change who I am.” After I said that, they fell silent. My daughter-in-law’s mother then said, “I can’t do anything. If you leave, who will take care of the baby? They won’t be able to go to work then. You should stay.”
That night, I calmed down and reflected on where I had gone wrong. Master taught us that when a cultivator encounters a conflict with an ordinary person, they should look within. I was shocked by what I discovered. Every day, when my daughter-in-law came home from work, her first question was always about her mother’s well-being. She never asked about me, and she never even called me “Mom.” This made me feel uncomfortable. Wasn’t this jealousy and an attachment to seeking recognition? I was thinking that I was the one doing all the housework, caring for the baby, and looking after her mother, while she didn’t contribute financially at all. I felt wronged and often shared my grievances with others, failing to cultivate my speech, which was not kind. I realized I also had an attachment to personal interests and enjoyed complaining. In my heart, I said to Master, “Master, I was wrong. I must use the principles of the Fa to correct myself.”
Once I corrected myself, my family environment gradually improved. Although my daughter-in-law’s mother has made me improve my xinxing every few days, I can face it calmly. In the past, I was selfish and self-centered; I would buy whatever I wanted to eat. Now I consider what they want to eat and what they need, and then I buy it. Over the years, I have eliminated many human thoughts.
A few days ago, I took my grandson out to play, and he wanted to drink some milk tea. I asked him, “Does your mother allow you to drink it?” He replied, “Yes.” So I bought him a cup. When we got home, my daughter-in-law came back from work and asked him what he had eaten that day. He told her that I had bought him milk tea. My daughter-in-law immediately became upset and started scolding me, accusing me of wanting to harm her son and saying many hurtful things. Before she was finished, my son came home from work and joined in scolding me as well. I didn’t get angry, I just listened calmly. My daughter-in-law’s mother couldn’t stand it anymore and said, “You two are being unreasonable. Are you acting like human beings? He is her grandson. How could she want to harm him?” She also comforted me, “Don’t be angry. I’m talking to them.” I smiled and replied, “It’s alright; it’s my fault. I spoil the child too much. I’ve made mistakes, and I will pay attention to this issue in the future.” I then said to my daughter-in-law, “Don’t be upset. It’s not worth hurting yourself by feeling angry. My master once said that when a cultivator has a conflict with an ordinary person, it is the cultivator’s fault.” My daughter-in-law felt embarrassed, and the tension ended.
What kind of attachments did I have in my heart? I spoiled my grandson and adored him. I was also concerned about saving face, seeking compliments, and wanting recognition. My son scolded me, so I could recognize all this human sentimentality and let go of these human thoughts and mindset.
Now, when it's time to send righteous thoughts, the mother of my daughter-in-law reminds me to do so. She usually makes breakfast, which allows me to do my exercises in the morning. In the evening, after my daughter-in-law returns from work, I complete my household chores and then go to a fellow practitioner's home to study the Fa. Sometimes, I take my grandson with me when I go out to clarify the truth about Dafa.
I thank Master for his painstaking arrangements, and I thank everyone who helped me to improve from the bottom of my heart. In particular, Master's article “Critical Times Reveal One’s Spiritual State” pointed out the direction to follow and gave us another opportunity to correct ourselves. In my future cultivation, I will study the Fa well, cultivate solidly, truly assimilate the Fa, and follow the cultivation path that Master has arranged for me. I am committed to fulfilling my mission and living up to Master's salvation. I bow respectfully to Master.