(ST from Nagano Prefecture/60s/Female/Housewife)
My second daughter was diagnosed with a gynecological disease, and needed a detailed examination to figure out more about her condition. I am a person who gets extremely worried about things. Hearing my daughter’s health condition this time, my kokoro was extremely disturbed thinking, “What if it’s something really bad?” My husband and I went to Hikari no Yakata seeking for a relief in how to deal with the situation.
I Needed to Reflect My Relationship with My Husband to Begin with
No matter how much we love our daughter, we can’t substitute for her situation. We know it’s common sense, but it made me realize I am so limited with what I can do as parents. But then, I found out that there is something we can do for her because we are her parents. And one of the first things we can do for her is to deepen my relationship with my husband. This was something I realized from learning the teachings of Kami.
One night, as I was reading a Kyōkai book with my husband, our daughter came back home. And we were given an opportunity to tell her how much we worry about her and how much we want her to be happy. And when we told her that we are learning the teachings together as husband and wife to leave behind a good way of life as parents, our daughter started to cry.
Reflecting Points That Never Occurred to Me
My husband and I have always been close and there weren’t any secrets between us. But we realized from the teachings that just because we were close and with no secrets, that doesn’t mean that there was absolutely nothing that needed to be improved between us.
I tend to tell my husband after things happen just because I don’t want him to worry. But then on the other hand, I get frustrated with him thinking, “How come he doesn’t care and be more considerate?” After all, I found out that I am self-centered. As a matter of fact, my friend once told me that I should be more thankful and appreciative towards my husband.
As I was spending days on reflecting my kokoro towards my husband, I noticed an emergence of a different emotion towards my husband. I was hanging my husband’s work clothes after washing them and suddenly I thought, “He’s wearing these heavy clothes and working hard for us in this hot weather.” I started crying and I immediately told him my appreciation. He replied by saying, “You just realized?!” But he seemed happy to hear my words and I felt my kokoro came one with my husband’s kokoro.
Gaining a Kokoro to Trust My Daughter
After thorough examination, we found out that my daughter’s health scare was nothing too serious. But something that we needed to keep our eyes on. This was a relief for all of us. My daughter has been away from work due to her health issues, but she is feeling better each day. If it was me before, I would have said to her, “You are not going to work yet?!” out of much frustration for her. But I can trust her to say, “It’s fine. She knows what she’s doing.” I was able to gain that kokoro to trust her by spending much time with her while away from work.
One time as I was working out on our field in the backyard of our house with my husband, we heard someone cutting food in the kitchen. It was our daughter preparing dinner for us. I looked at my husband and we smiled at each other. I want to establish a path that leads to happiness with my husband and leave this way of life behind for my children.
Heeding the Shinji to Understand the Reasons for the Joys Experienced
Shinji is the universal principle (truth), and can also be the guidance of life that foresees the future. Please feel the wonders of a life that flows exactly in a way the Shinji tells us when you live with the teachings of Kami.
Shinji
A family that learns the teaching of Kami as a family has a mutual understanding of each other’s feelings, communicate with each other, support each other and correct their jittai together.
The mutual effort as a family is needed to create a family environment where the Six Elements of Happiness fully blossoms.
When this hope is achieved, the health of family members are greatly protected and you can leave behind good elements in your Kokoro no Michi.