(Minghui.org) My 77-year-old mother-in-law didn’t feel well in early 2019. When she was examined at the hospital, she was diagnosed with late-stage esophageal cancer. Surgery wasn’t an option given her age. She was prescribed medicine and painkillers, and released from the hospital.
My mother-in-law had two sons and one daughter, and my husband is her second child. A few years ago, she decided to stop cooking. As the daughters-in-law, we took turns preparing meals for her.
I’ve practiced Falun Dafa for more than 20 years. My husband and I live near his family, and we haven’t had any conflicts for 30 years. I frequently brought his mother food, and used the opportunity to tell her about Falun Dafa. Because she listened to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda, she refused to accept what I said, but she did not say anything bad in front of me.
I couldn’t help myself, and I resented her. I kept remembering how badly she treated me before we moved out. When I received money for our wedding, she wanted me to pay off her debts—which totaled more than the money she gave us as a wedding gift. She promised to give us money for my child’s “three days old” and “one month old” parties, but in the end, she didn’t give us a penny. My husband was sick for more than two years and couldn’t work in the fields. My in-laws did not help me. Instead, I had to help them. I finally realized that I was judging everyone and everything with human notions.
I was shocked. The reason she did not accept Dafa was because I still harbored so much resentment. I had not fundamentally changed myself. I did not behave like a Dafa practitioner.
Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, said,
“You should always be benevolent and kind to others and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
My mother-in-law did not feel the goodness of Dafa because I was only good to her on the surface, but I secretly resented her. I understood that it was my problem—not hers.
After my mother-in-law was discharged from the hospital, I went to her house every day. I brought her whatever she wanted to eat, no matter how difficult it was to get the ingredients. I became her main caregiver. I cleaned her room every day, washed her face and hair, and changed her clothes and diapers. I did everything without any complaint. She gradually felt the compassion of Falun Dafa practitioners.
I began talking to her about Falun Dafa. This time she accepted what I said and quit the Young Pioneers, one of the CCP’s youth organizations. During the last five months before she died, I reminded her to say, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” At first she didn’t believe saying nine words would help, but she later started to recite them silently. Her pain eased and she no longer needed painkillers. She passed away peacefully.
Five days before she died, I discovered 59 white Udumbara flowers on the window frame outside her house. I was very happy.
Thank you, Master, for your encouragement. I took a photo of the Udumbara flowers with my cell phone.
Thank you, Master, for taking care of me! I will truly cultivate myself well.
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Category: Improving Oneself
