(Minghui.org) Over the past several years, the Chinese government’s demolition of people’s old houses and relocating of those households has intensified. This uprooting has swept across the whole country. Many places in our area are also experiencing that old houses are being demolished. For a house worth tens of thousands of yuan, fathers and sons have gone to court, while brothers and sisters have fought maliciously. Some elderly people became so angry about their children’s fight over property that they swallowed pesticide or hung themselves.
Three years ago, my mother’s village authorities started demolishing houses. The villagers were stirred up, and everyone talked about it. In one instance, three days after signing documents to allow the demolition, an elderly lady swallowed pesticide because her children fought over the family property. She died.
I have two older brothers. When they got married, my parents built new four-room houses for each of them. My parents kept the old house, which had six rooms.
According to the regulations for the household relocation, my parents would get three apartment units in exchange for their old house being demolished. After my brothers heard this, they began calculating who would get the units in the future.
My younger brother said to my father, “Dad, after the demolition, you will get three units in exchange for your old house. Could you please give me one unit and give my brother one unit after you die? My sister is very faithful to you and mother, so you can give her the other unit.” My father agreed.
However, my eldest brother and sister-in-law were unhappy upon hearing about my younger brother having discussed this issue with my father; they did not like that my younger brother asked my father to pass me a unit without discussing it with them first.
Learning about the disagreement I felt sad. I said to my younger brother, “I don’t want that unit.” My younger brother insisted, “No, you must have it.” He repeatedly told me not to say that I did not want the unit in front of my eldest brother and sister-in-law. I felt sad. Our siblings had a very good relationship, however, when it came to money and houses, people’s greedy nature still appeared, and this was true throughout the villages.
When the demolition first started, the villagers mainly talked about how many apartment units each family would get in exchange for their old houses. They also talked about how the units would be divided among the family members, and which family had disputes.
A house in a neighboring town was demolished; the eldest son of a family smashed his mother’s window and threw her cooking pots into the street, because his mother gave the house to her youngest son.
The demolitions exposed all the worst and the best of human nature.
My younger brother’s wife and I had been very close. One day, she went to my mother’s house and told my mother that once her cousin asked her, “What will you do if your sister-in-law comes to you ask for the house?” and she answered, “Beat her.”
In fact, my sister-in-law was joking with her cousin. But, when my mother told me the joke, I did not know why I was triggered. I felt deeply wronged and resentful; my tears burst out. I have said that I didn’t want the unit, so how could she say that?!
Later, I realized that it was my ordinary human notion being touched; Master used this joke to expose my deeply hidden notion. At that time, my eldest brother also told my parents to give me a unit and insisted that I accept it. It turned out that my two brothers took turns to test me and improve my character!
I thought about it for several days after the incident. I finally decided not to accept this unit. I said to my two brothers, “I have a residence and I don’t want this unit. I am very happy that you all thought about me. We have been brothers and sisters for decades and I consider our relationship more important than the apartment. This is my sincere statement.”
After speaking my mind, I felt a sense of relief and joy that I had never experienced before. It was as if a heavy burden was lifted off me. At that moment, I felt that I was suddenly enlightened to the meaning of:
“We say that when you take a step back in a conflict, you will find the seas and the skies boundless, and it will certainly be another situation.” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)
I felt that my mind had reached a higher realm. The feeling was so wonderful that I truly realized that letting go of things makes people happier than getting things! I shared this experience with my son, and he wholeheartedly agreed with me.
Once, while having dinner with friends, one of the friends asked me, “How many units did you get for your mother’s old house being demolished?”
I said, “They wanted to give me a 90-square-meter unit; but I told them that I didn’t want it.”
At that moment, everyone at the table stared at me. I saw surprise and admiration in their eyes. Each apartment unit was worth about a million yuan. In this materialistic age, very few people could resist such a temptation.
Many people who heard about this gave me thumbs up and said, “You are great! Many people go home to ask for units. You were given a unit, but didn’t take it. Very few people can do this.”
Ordinary people don’t know that I am the richest person in the world because I have Master and Dafa. Master taught me to consider others first and taught me to live a relaxed and happy life in this chaotic world! I don’t seek fame or fortune. When encountering difficult situations, I look inside to find my own shortcomings and think for others first.
I know I need to improve further in many aspects since I still have a lot of attachments. I will follow the Fa to sincerely correct myself in my cultivation.
A thought often appears in my mind, “It’s great to have Master! Yes, it’s truly great to have Master!”
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Category: Improving Oneself
