(Minghui.org) It is my responsibility as a Falun Dafa practitioner to do the three things well. I have slacked off during the past few years, however, since I moved in with my son to take care of his newborn baby.
Instead of going out to raise awareness of the persecution of Falun Dafa, I found myself enjoying outings with my son's family. While there was nothing wrong with being with one’s family, I suddenly realized one day that my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson could also enjoy the weekends all by themselves, and that I should perhaps spend more time doing what a Falun Dafa practitioner should do.
I tagged along with my son, because of my affections for him and his family. If we become preoccupied in living our lives and forget about our missions, the old forces may take advantage of our sentiments towards families and make trouble for us.
Awakening from Neglecting Truth Clarification Efforts
I came to Beijing with my husband in October 2014 to help take care of my grandson. My son and his wife warned me that the persecution of Falun Dafa in Beijing was more severe than in my hometown. I rarely went out and talked to others about Falun Dafa, as I was afraid of getting them into trouble.
One day I managed to go out and persuade two people to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations. But then, my human notions got the best of me. I worried that I would not be able to convince people in a big city like Beijing, or answer their questions. I put my hope in the Beijing practitioners. I hoped that I would run into them and they could bring me along and show me what to do. I waited for two years and did not meet any practitioners in Beijing.
I went back to my hometown last year and visited my fellow practitioners. They told me there were usually twenty practitioners at each open market handing out Dafa materials to people. I enlightened that there were many practitioners in my hometown so I was not needed there, but I was needed in Beijing.
When I returned to Beijing, I tried to memorize the book Zhuan Falun. Because my heart was not calm, it took me a few days to memorize just one paragraph. My grandson sleeps with us. I thought maybe I could study the Fa after he goes to sleep, but I would often fall asleep too by the time he went to sleep.
On weekends, my daughter-in-law took the boy to play elsewhere. She asked me to follow along, and I said yes.
For a period of time, my son was not working. He would take me and my husband everywhere to sightsee. My time was again occupied by this and I didn't have time to do the three things.
One day last year, I read,
“But learning [Dafa] leads me to understand it rationally,Why does the persecution target Dafa disciples?It's because we walk a divine-led path.”(“Honor Permits No Looking Back,” Hong Yin III)
I suddenly realized that the old forces were using my feelings toward my son and grandson to pull me away from my cultivation path. This was keeping me from being diligent and improving. They were manipulating my son to do so. When I enlightened to this, my son said to my grandson, “We will go out ourselves and let grandma rest today.”
Slowing Down on My Cultivation Path
There were eight practitioners in my village. We set up a Fa study group in 2005 and studied Master's teachings together, no matter how harsh the environment. Some of the group members were facing issues after being interfered with due to family sentiments.
Two practitioners, a husband and his wife, both cultivate Dafa and are in their 60s. Their son leased a large tree farm in addition to their own farm. The son and his wife went to a city to work, leaving all the farm work for their parents to do. They are so busy now that they rarely come to group Fa-study.
A woman and her husband are practitioners in their 70s. The woman was illiterate but she had strong righteous thoughts. She listened to Master's lectures and other practitioners reading the Fa. One night after Fa-study, the streets were covered with water from heavy rain. She asked Master for help. When she got home, her shoes were not even wet. She also overcame two illness tribulations. But last year, her son made her give up the practice. He took her to the village office and forced her to tell the village head that she will no longer practice Falun Dafa.
Another practitioner in his 70s kept a ceramic statue of Chairman Mao. We told him that he should get rid of it, but he said his wife wanted to keep it to make money. A few years ago, he still talked to many people in the village about Falun Dafa and the persecution. But recently his family forced him to choose between Falun Dafa and the family. Because of his sentiments toward his family, he agreed not to practice Dafa any longer. He gave all his Dafa books to other practitioners. He can no longer study the Fa or practice the exercises at home. It is as if he is imprisoned in his own home.
A practitioner in her 60s has dealt with conflicts at home since last year. She says she cannot keep calm due to human sentiments.
Sentimentality Results in Death
I had a niece who passed away a few years ago. She was a practitioner and had illness karma for two years. During that time, she was trapped in human notions and feelings. When I visited her, we discussed her situation, and she told me that she understood the Fa, but still could not let go of attachments.
When it was time for lunch, she insisted that I stay. I told her I would help her make lunch, but she smiled and said there was no need. She told me that both her father-in-law and mother-in-law were practitioners. Ever since she became ill, they had been taking care of everything for her, including the house chores. As a result, she didn't do anything at home.
Even though she did not say it, she was treating herself as a sick person. She passed away in 2013. Her death affected her family and many people around her, including her brother who was a practitioner. Her mother was a practitioner too, but she also passed away two years ago.
A Reminder
All of these practitioners did not give up Dafa when the evil was rampant. They withstood the pressure from family and society back then. But when the environment became relaxed, they were defeated by their sentiments. When the old forces cannot force the practitioners to change their faith, they use another tactic--taking advantage of our human sentiments--to persecute us.
In my case, I blamed my family for not listening to the truth about Dafa, for not supporting me in cultivation, for not giving me the time I needed. I resented them without looking within. Let's think about it. When we submit to our families' wish to give up our cultivation, is it really good for them? Who's to blame if we don’t reach consummation?
I am not saying that we should fight with our families or become distant from them. If we truly want to be good to our families, we need to cultivate ourselves well, understand the purpose of our lives, study the Fa more, eliminate resentment, cultivate our compassion, and be diligent in our cultivation.
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Category: Improving Oneself
