The Power of Love and Affection

As the story goes, a young beautiful woman was just married a man she loved dearly. After the marriage, this woman lived together with her mother-in-law. Then, there were so many mishaps and unfitting behaviors and views between the two ladies in the house. The mother-in-law somehow always manage to find flaws in almost everthing that her daughter-in-law did. Sharp comments, criticism and all sorts of sarcasms were constantly flowing from the mother-in-law 's mouth. Debate almost took place everyday. Unfortunately, the husband could not do much to improve the situation.

The daughter-in-law seemed unable to sustain her anger anymore. Day to day, taking was poisoning her mind and thoughts. And thus she went to look for his father's best friend who was a medicine seller. She told him all about her sadness and grieves in tears, "And that's why uncle you have to help me in this case, please prescribe a strong dose of poison so that I can have my revenge towards my mother-in-law." After a careful thinking, finally the uncle smiled wisely and answered, "I will give you the poisonous powder under one condition that you will do exactly as I say." The woman agreed.And then the uncle gave her a full pocket of powder. "My dear, to get rid of your mother-in-law, don't use a quick reactive poison. People around you will be very suspicious of her sudden dying. Therefore, I am giving you a slow reactive poison but sure. Mix a little bit of it every now and then into your mom's meals. And remember, you have to cook the meal yourself," said the medicine seller.

Before she left, the medicine seller added up, "Just to make sure that people will not to be suspicious later on, you need to treat your mother-in-law better in days to come, by doing so people will not raise any questions about her death. Treat her with love, respect and show your big heart by not arguing, just giving in to her. Treat your mother-in-law as if she were your own mother.

With such a happier light heart, the woman went home, she obeyed and did whatever the uncle said. Everyday, she spoilt her mother-in-law by cooking all her favorite dishes and served her with all respect and compassion. Without realizing four months had passed, and a big change took place. Being treated with such respect and affection, the mother-in-law was touched and changed her behavior towards her. Things turned around, she started to treat her daughter-in-law as her own one and loved her more and more each day. In the presence of her friends, she complimented and spoke highly of her daughter -in-law's nobility and compassion.

Seeing the changes in her mother-in-law's, abruptly the daughter rushed to see the uncle. "Please unlce, give me the antidote to the poison that you give sometime ago. After doing what you told me, now my mother-in-law has treated me so well and full of love. I also start loving her. I don't want her die from the poison that I gave her every day."

The uncle just smiled and answered, "My dear, don't worry. The powder that I gave you was not poison at all. It actually was tonic to enhance body strength instead." She was dumb founded. "So the real poison actually is what dwells in your head, your attitude towards your mother-in-law. And now all of those poisons have been wiped away by love and affection that you have showered her."

The story above has taught us how incredible the power of love or the power of affection and tender loving care can be. Love and affection bring about care, sincerity, and willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Love and affection can release us from the strong grip of misunderstanding, bring down the wall of coldness, soften the stubbornness and mellow down hatreds. Love and affection invite peace and bring differences into a good harmony. If all us are willing to give love and affection towards people around us day by day, then life is worth living for.

THE POWER OF LOVE