In ancient China, a newly married girl named Li-Li found herself locked in a battle of wills with her mother-in-law. Their constant arguments and differences made the household unbearable, straining her relationship with her husband. Desperate to escape her mother-in-law’s dominance, Li-Li sought help from Mr. Huang, her father’s wise friend, to find a way to end her misery.
The Plot
Li-Li begged Mr. Huang for poison to kill her mother-in-law. Instead of refusing outright, Mr. Huang devised a clever plan. He gave Li-Li herbs, instructing her to mix them into her mother-in-law’s meals gradually. To avoid suspicion, Mr. Huang told Li-Li to treat her mother-in-law with utmost respect and love, to obey her wishes, and to act like a devoted daughter.
Transformation Through Love
Following his instructions, Li-Li began to serve her mother-in-law with care. Over time, her controlled temper and consistent kindness melted the icy relationship between them. They grew so close that Li-Li came to love her mother-in-law like her own mother, and the mother-in-law reciprocated, praising Li-Li as the best daughter-in-law one could ever have.
Six months later, realizing her newfound love for her mother-in-law, Li-Li panicked and returned to Mr. Huang to ask for an antidote to save her. Mr. Huang smiled and revealed the truth: the herbs were harmless vitamins. The only poison had been her hatred, which had dissolved through acts of love and service.
Spiritual Lesson
This story illustrates the transformative power of love, patience, and a change in attitude. Li-Li’s initial anger blinded her to the possibility of harmony, but her actions, guided by love, brought peace to her home and heart.
The Bhagavad Gita (12.13-14) extols such virtues: “One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination, whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with the Lord—such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.”
By changing how we perceive and treat others, we can heal broken relationships and create an atmosphere of harmony. Love is the ultimate antidote to hatred, and kindness is a force that can soften even the hardest hearts. The story reminds us that sometimes, God places difficult people in our lives not to test them, but to transform us.
