Life's Golden Rule

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True Medicine
 
Dear ,

This is a longer story today, folks, but it is a very good one. It
is an old Chinese story about living the Golden Rule.

    A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-li got married and
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 days and weeks passed weeks. 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 the poor
husband great distress. Finally, Li-li could not stand her
mother-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 in her body. Every
other day prepare some pork or chicken and put a little of these
herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody
suspects 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 practised controlling her temper so much that she
found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an
argument in six months with her mother-in-law, who now seemed much
kinder and easier to get along with. The mother-in-law's attitude
towards 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, and 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 is changed into such a nice
woman, and I love her like my 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 is 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 towards her,but that has been all washed
away by the love which you gave to her".

In China they say, "The person who loves others will also be
loved." The best medicine for a bitter heart is love. Think of
someone today that you have hard feelings for and do something nice
to show them you love them.

Life's Golden Rule
Editorial Staff