(Minghui.org) I am a young practitioner born in the 80's. I was fortunate enough to start practicing Falun Dafa with my parents when I was a teen and later married into a family of practitioners.
Even though everyone in our family hasn't always gotten along perfectly, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance have guided the practitioners in my family to always consider others first. That has enabled us to create harmony within the family.
The Persecution Brought Tragedy to Our Family
My parents and I started to practice Falun Dafa in 1996. We lived by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and were happy and well-liked.
However, when the persecution started in 1999, my father gave up the practice due to intense pressure from the government, his employer, and most importantly, my grandparents.
My grandparents' generation lived through political movements launched by the Communist regime, and they themselves were victims of previous persecutions, so fear is deeply rooted in their hearts. Although they knew Dafa was good, they did not want anything to happen to their son.
My father became depressed after he stopped practicing and quickly went back to his old habits of drinking and smoking. His health deteriorated and he passed away in 2007.
After my father's death, my grandmother thought that my mother would remarry and shirk her responsibility to raise me and my brother. She resented my mother and treated her badly.
Despite Grandma's hostile attitude, my mother stayed and took care of us and my grandparents. Her actions eventually turned Grandma around.
Mother's Compassion Changed Grandma and the Entire Family
My mother knew that my father's death was hard on my grandma, so she didn't let Grandma's hostility get to her. She told the family that she planned to help take care of my grandparents, and what she did proved to the family that she meant what she said.
When my grandma was hospitalized, my mom took care of Grandma almost all by herself. She was so attentive that the other patients in the ward thought she was my grandma's daughter. When they found out she was her daughter-in-law, and especially that my father had passed away, they were all amazed.
Gradually, my grandparents became more understanding of my mother and now love her like their own daughter. After I snapped at my mom one time, Grandma told me later when we were alone, “Don't talk to your mother like that. Look all that she does for the family. She deserves your respect.” I was very touched.
Influenced by Mother, my grandparents now listen to Master Li Hongzhi's lectures, Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, and radio programs on traditional Chinese culture. Grandma says, “My mind is calm when I listen to this. I feel good.”
My mother has earned the respect of other family members, who had never thought that she would take such good care of my grandparents after my father's death. My uncle and his wife trust my mother completely. She has become my aunt's go-to person whenever she needs advice.
Mother Set a Great Example for Me
My mother set a great example for me in how to apply Dafa's principles to our daily lives. I treat my grandparents with respect and was able to build a great relationship with my own mother-in-law later on.
Although I worked in a different city at the time, I often called Grandma and Grandpa to check on them. Whenever I visited them, I brought them their favorite snacks or new clothes. I also helped them with household chores.
A neighbor came to visit while I was hand-washing their clothes one time. The neighbor was clearly impressed: “What a good granddaughter and a good daughter-in-law (my mother) you have. So hard to find nowadays. Aren't you lucky!” Grandma smiled from ear to ear.
Marrying into a Family of Practitioners
My husband's family are also practitioners. Both my father-in-law and my sister-in-law have been held in forced labor camps, and the family has gone through a lot because of the persecution.
People from the village didn't think anybody would want to marry into such a family, but I did so without a second thought. My practitioner mother-in-law and I have built a great relationship.
My mother-in-law knows that both my husband and I work really hard, so she often stops by and helps us with household chores—cleaning, cooking, you name it. Whenever we go visit them, she prepares a nice meal with all of our favorite dishes. I feel so lucky to have such a loving mother-in-law.
I always buy my in-laws nice clothes or shoes that they normally would not splurge on themselves. Before each Chinese New Year, I also prepare something special for my husband to give to his mother.
A co-worker teased me, “You're such a dummy. Why don't you give the gift to your mother-in-law and earn yourself some brownie points?” I smiled, “I am the daughter-in-law, not the daughter. Sure she would be happy to get it from me, but it would be so much more special coming from her own son.”
While women often complain about their mothers-in-law, I have never had any problem with mine. Because both of us are Dafa practitioners, even when we disagree on something, we put ourselves in the other person's shoes and soon the disagreement is behind us.
My mother-in-law told me once, “My friends all envy me because I have such a good daughter-in-law. You really do treat me better than I treat myself. It is all blessings from Dafa.”
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