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Summary of Question:	Re:What Should We Do In A Situation Like This
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Thursday, 2/27/2003 5:38 PM MST

A long time ago, 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-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 awhile,
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 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 practiced 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 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."

MORAL : Friends, have you ever realized that how you treat others is exactly
how they will treat you? In China it is said: The person who loves others
will also be loved.

(REPLY) Sat Nam. Yes!!! Thank you