Bhavesh's Tryst

A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married &
went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very
short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her
mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very
different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her
mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law
never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the
situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese
tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her
every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was
causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper
and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something
about it. Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr.
Huang, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked
if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the
problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while, and
finally said, "Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem,
but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you."
Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."
Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few
minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't
use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law,
because that would cause people to become suspicious.
Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will
slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare
some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her
serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you.
When she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly
towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and
treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to
start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks went by
and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the
specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered
what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she
controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated
her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the
whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling
her temper so much that she found that she almost never got
mad or upset.
She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six
months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get
along with. The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li
changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter.
She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the
best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her
mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother
and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was
happening.
One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help
again. She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the
poison from killing my mother-in-law! She's changed into such
a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not
want her to die because of the poison I gave her."
Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing
to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I
gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison
was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has
been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."
HAVE YOU REALIZED that how you treat others is exactly how
they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: "The
person who loves others will also be loved in return."
God might be trying to work in another person's life through
you.