（EI from Shizuoka Prefecture/Female/60s/Housewife）
I used to ask Kami only to ask for my wishes. But now I depend on Kami to become a person who lives a life according to Kami’s teachings.
What changed my thought was the long recovering process of my arm injury—I was constantly worried and frustrated. To ease my anxieties, I started to read books published by the church (Shinji Kyōkai) more frequently. From then on, I came to realize various mistakes in the way I viewed about certain things.
I saw that I had been especially demanding with my family. Even though I learned the teachings, I was not putting them to practice, so I began to realize I was the one who needs to change. Little by little, my gratitude for my family began to surface, and was able to show my gratitude with a smile and compassion.
Recently, my son told me “Seeing you smile makes me happier than anything else!” So I replied, “Children’s happiness makes mothers happier than anything else!”
I try to keep up with the teachings by reading books from the church whenever I have time. I really appreciate the “awareness” I can get from learning the teachings, and the more I learn, the more it brings joy.