(Minghui.org) My name is Milena, and I was born in Croatia.
My father left my mother right after I was born. Two years later, my mother went to live in another city and left me with my grandmother. Unfortunately, she often mistreated me. I wandered around and slept in the fields.
A neighbor reported my situation to the Youth Affairs Department, and they finally found my father. He took me to live with his new family, where I was beaten and cried, and was eager to find my mother.
I went to Germany after graduating from middle school and got commercial training. I married at 18 and had two children in four years. That marriage lasted 14 years.
My former husband took our children away with him to Serbia. We divorced there, and the court gave him custody of our kids because of his better financial situation.
My children dared not come to see me for fear of their father. Losing my children made me depressed, and I started to have psychological problems. It took me four years to obtain the right to see them, and I could only do it in secret.
My oldest son got leukemia several years later and died after two years of misery. After that I felt empty. Life was totally meaningless for me.
Although I had remarried, I decided to move out and start a life of my own. I worked diligently, but still could barely make ends meet. Eventually I established my own business, but I was still not happy.
I always had a strong feeling that I was looking for something, but I had no idea what. I took a class in psychology, but it didn't solve my problems.
Then I was diagnosed with a spinal disorder. I went to see several doctors, but no one could cure me. Someone suggested surgery, but I was reluctant to go that route and thought there must be a better solution.
I kept on searching until one day I called a friend and asked her if she knew of a school that taught people to sit in meditation. She helped me search online and then gave me the contact information of a man who taught me Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa).
He recommended that I read the book The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection. My life and attitude totally changed after I read it.
I also read Falun Gong's main text, Zhuan Falun. I was captivated by the first line. I rushed home after work and, without even eating, continued to read the book. I found answers to all my questions about life. I was fascinated by its principles.
Before that I was confused about so many things: What was I living for? Why had so many bad things happened to me? What was their relation to me? After reading the book, I understood that human beings incur karma throughout their reincarnations, and that, in this life, we have to repay whatever debts we owe from previous lives.
I experienced dramatic changes. I dealt with people intelligently, remained clear-minded, and was no longer fearful. My spinal disorder disappeared without any further treatment. My relationship with my husband improved. He said that I had become a totally different person. He then started to read Zhuan Falun!
For years I had disliked my landlord and often thought of moving out. After I learned the principles of tolerance and compassion, I treated her differently. She noticed and asked me why I was learning Falun Dafa. I explained the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to her. She totally agreed with them.
I stopped competing against others in doing business. I could maintain my calm even when customers suddenly canceled their appointments. Teacher said,
“as a practitioner should follow the course of nature. If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)
When I followed the principles of Falun Dafa, new customers called in for appointments, and old customers returned.
I never realized that I could be so happy.