(Minghui.org) My son came home early from work last year and immediately went to bed. He said that his stomach had hurt the previous night, and that he had gone to the hospital that morning. After undergoing many tests he was told that there was a small lump in his gall bladder, and that there were also problems with his lungs and stomach.
I started to worry, but quickly realized that this was a test of my attachment to sentimentality.
Master said:
“Amidst the complex environment of everyday people and its interpersonal xinxing frictions, you are able to rise above and beyond––this is the most difficult thing. It is hard in that you knowingly lose your vested interests among everyday people. Amidst your critical self-interests, are you moved? Amidst interpersonal mindgames, are you moved? When your friends or family suffer, are you moved? How do you weigh them? This is how difficult it is to be a practitioner!” (Zhuan Falun)
I’ve been practicing Dafa since 1994. My husband had passed away and I raised my son alone. My son was eight years old when I took him with me to one of Master Li’s lectures. He continued to practice with me until July 1999. We both gained better health and other improvements.
The Chinese Communist regime began its persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999. I was fired from my job, taken to a brainwashing class, detained, and tortured. My son, who was still young, was traumatized and stopped practicing. After my release from prison, I continued to practice Dafa and established a Fa study group at my home.
I tried to get my son to take up the practice again on many occasions but he always said that he wanted to wait and see. Now that he had become ill all of a sudden, I thought it might be a sign that it was time for him to return to the practice.
“Son,” I said, “humans suffer all the time. It doesn’t matter if you are rich and powerful, no one can escape old age, illness, and death. Look at me, I haven’t taken any medicine for over 20 years. I’m already 60 years old and despite the persecution I went through I’m fit and healthy. When we are seen together, people think that I’m your older sister.”
I continued, “I know you are scared of the persecution, but cultivation is an upright thing, so why should you be afraid? As long as our mind is right and we follow Master's Fa, the evil will not dare to persecute us. Why not give it a try? Master is compassionate. He does not want to give up on any of his disciples.”
My son seemed to be moved. I sat next to him and sent righteous thoughts to eliminate any interference. We then read Zhuan Falun together. After reading one lecture he said he felt better and wanted to take a nap.
The next morning he felt much better and returned to work. After that, he joined our Fa study group and we did the exercises at night.
Several days later he told me that if it hadn't been for his illness he wouldn’t have returned to Dafa. A bad thing turned out to be a good thing. Now his stomach doesn’t hurt anymore and he’s decided not to go for further medical tests.
I encouraged him to treat this as sickness karma and asked him to treasure this opportunity to practice Dafa.
My son became a practitioner again. He also helped elderly practitioners set up their computers and produce Falun Gong truth clarifying materials. As he made progress in cultivation, his sickness karma disappeared.
News of his return to cultivation spread among the local practitioners. Some shared their understanding that Master has extended the time for Fa rectification to give former practitioners a chance to return to Dafa. Therefore we must not slack off in cultivation.