How you treat others is exactly how they will treat you
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.
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.'
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 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 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 saying: 'The person who loves others will also be loved
in return.'
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