The morning sun shined through the gaps in the curtains and gently sprinkled on Li Hua's bed. She opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock, 6 o'clock. For Li Hua, the beginning of every morning means that a new round of busy life is about to begin. Li Hua, a 63-year-old retired teacher, began to change her life three years ago, when she decided to put her life aside and devote herself fully to caring for her 89-year-old mother, Lee so-young.
"Mom, breakfast is ready, what to eat?" Li Hua asked softly, she knew that Li Xiuying, who was old, had lost her appetite in the past.
"Daughter, let's eat some millet porridge." Li Xiuying's kind voice always made Li Hua feel a little warm, although the hardships of nursing made her feel pressured.
In the kitchen, Li Hua skillfully prepared breakfast. The aroma of millet porridge permeated the room. These days of caring for her mother, she learned how to make a variety of foods that are easy to digest; Sorting clothes, cleaning, and accompanying her to the doctor are all things that run through her daily life and become an inseparable part of her life.
"Mom, the weather is good today, after breakfast, how about I accompany you to the park?" Li Hua said with a smile.
"To the park? Hey, daughter, you've worked hard, you don't have to accompany me. Li Xiuying looked at Li Hua with some apologies.
Li Hua shook her head gently, she knew her mother's uneasiness, but she knew that what her mother needed was companionship, "Mom, I'm willing, I'm very happy to walk with you." ”
In the park, the two slowly walked down the winding path. Surrounded by the laughter of children, whenever a child runs by, Li Hua always remembers the scene when he was young and took little Li Hua to play here.
"Mom, do you remember the old banyan tree? Dad was still there, and our whole family had a picnic here. Li Hua pointed to the old banyan tree in front of him and said.
"How can you not remember, when you were young, you always loved to climb trees." A glint of memory flashed in Li Xiuying's eyes, "That was our happiest time." ”
After returning from the walk, Li Hua helped her mother wash up, and the two sat on the balcony, enjoying the peace of the afternoon. Suddenly, Li Xiuying's sigh broke the silence.
"What's wrong with Mom? Is there something wrong with the body? Li Hua asked with concern.
"No, it's not a physical thing." Li Xiuying hesitated a little, "When I think of you giving up your life to take care of me, I feel very uncomfortable." ”
Li Hua listened to his mother's words, and his heart was sour, "Mom, this is what I should do, don't take it to heart." ”
But she knew in her heart that her mother's guilt was actually a direct reflection of the conflict in her heart. Over the years, the burden of taking care of my mother has been really heavy, especially since she has also entered old age and her body is not as strong as before. Sometimes, in the dead of night, Li Hua would silently ask himself in his heart: "Is it right for me to be so filial?" ”
However, whenever he saw his mother's serene face and heard her loving voice, all Li Hua's doubts and fatigue seemed to disappear in an instant. No matter what the doubts in her heart are, Li Hua has always stuck to her mother's side, because she believes that home is a harbor that will always be warm regardless of wind and rain.
One afternoon, Li Hua met his neighbor Uncle Sun when he was pruning flowers and trees in the community garden. The two chatted, and Uncle Sun mentioned a refreshing concept for Li Hua, "filial piety is not obedient", which made her begin to have a deep reflection on her life and the way she took care of her mother.
"Filial piety is a virtue, but you also have to have a life of your own, don't you?" Uncle Sun's firm attitude gave Li Hua a lot of inspiration.
When Li Hua returned home, he couldn't calm down for a long time. She began to wonder whether her filial piety had a tendency towards formalism, and whether she really considered her mother and her own feelings.
Soon after, a family party was held at home. During the dinner, an unintentional remark by a distant relative sparked a heated discussion about whether the blind pursuit of filial piety should be sacrificed at the expense of personal happiness. Uncles and aunts of the same age as Li Hua expressed their different views and concerns.
"Filial piety should be moderate, and you can't exhaust yourself." An uncle proposed.
"I think children should be more filial, but pay attention to methods." An aunt said.
Li Hua listened silently, and the doubts in his heart grew deeper and deeper. After the family gathering, Li Hua has been thinking about the meaning of "filial piety but not obedience", and she feels that she seems to have found a breakthrough to solve her dilemma.
However, just as Li Hua was about to try to adjust his life, an urgent family incident occurred. One night, her mother Li Xiuying suddenly had difficulty breathing, and Li Hua comforted her anxious mother while nervously calling the emergency number.
Outside the hospital's emergency room, Li Hua was nervously pacing back and forth. Anxiety and fear filled her mind and made her realize that in addition to the burden of caring for her mother, she also needed to take care of her physical and mental health.
Looking at the busy medical staff, Li Hua recalled the previous discussion and the concept of "filial piety but not obedience", and seemed to be enlightened. Li Hua began to slowly figure it out, she should face her family responsibilities more rationally, learn to set boundaries, and not make herself physically and mentally exhausted because of excessive anxiety and a sense of responsibility.
After a long night, Lee so-young's condition finally stabilized. Looking at her mother's sleeping face, Li Hua made up her mind that she would begin to learn to say "no", love rationally, and use her own way to achieve "filial piety and disobedience", reduce her burden, and at the same time make her mother feel comfortable and respected.
This family emergency became a key node for Li Hua to change her concept and start trying a new way of life, laying a solid foundation for her realistic decision-making and spiritual growth.
In the following days, Li Hua began to learn how to be 'filial but not obedient'. During an afternoon tea party, she and her mother went to the community center, during which Li Hua met Uncle Sun, who had given her advice. The balance between family responsibilities and personal well-being was mentioned in their conversation, and Li Hua expressed her decision: "Mom, I plan to ask a nursing aunt for a month to help me so that I can also have time to do my own things. ”
Li Xiuying couldn't understand her daughter's decision for a while, "Daughter, have I become a burden to you?" ”
Li Hua hurriedly explained: "No, Mom, I just want to make us all more comfortable." I'll always be there for you, but we need a little extra help. ”
Although the decision is made, it is not so easy to implement. The cooperation between the newcomer and Li Hua was somewhat stumbling, which made her question her decision. In a misunderstanding, Li Xiuying even angrily scolded the caregivers: "I don't need you to take care of me, I have my daughter." ”
At this time, Li Hua knew that she needed to stand up and deal with the situation, and she decided to have a good chat with her mother. Through dialogue, she explained in detail her feelings of care and the need to set reasonable limits. The vivid dialogue and the outpouring of true feelings touched the mother and alleviated her worries.
"Mom, I'm willing to do anything for you, but I also need to take care of myself so that I can take better care of you." Li Hua said.
Li Xiuying sighed lightly: "Daughter, I understand, you have also worked hard." ”
Li Hua's attitude has brought about new changes in the family. She began to try to allocate more time to herself, sometimes walking alone, sometimes attending community interest classes. She learned to seek support from her family and friends around her, allowing her filial piety to find a new balance with her personal growth.
During this time, the mother and daughter slowly understood each other amid controversy and twists and turns. Li Hua understands that as a daughter, her role is not only a caregiver, but also an independent individual, who needs to pay attention to her physical and mental health. Under the guidance of her daughter, Lee so-young slowly accepted external help and understood the importance of her daughter's boundaries.
As mutual understanding deepened, the relationship between the two improved significantly in the process. The mother no longer only relies on her daughter when she needs help, but is able to accept the help of others, and Li Hua also feels more relaxed than ever. This strengthened her belief that the 'filial piety' approach was a long-term care strategy that both she and her mother could accept.
Time flies like a white horse, and in the blink of an eye, the controversy and conflict between Li Hua and Li Xiuying gradually subsided. As mutual understanding deepened, Li Hua found that her mother's attitude had changed significantly, and she began to slowly accept the boundaries set by her daughter and respect her daughter's efforts to protect her mental state.
One day after dinner, Li Hua and his mother sat in the living room chatting together. "Mom, I think you're quite satisfied with the help of the caregiver during this time." Li Hua said with a smile.
Li Xiuying nodded, and a hint of approval flashed in her eyes: "Yes, daughter, I also feel relieved that the caregiver is doing a good job, and I can also feel your good intentions." ”
The relationship between mother and daughter was strengthened on the basis of a new mutual understanding, and they began to respect each other's needs and feelings more. Li Hua also paid more attention to balancing caring for her mother and paying attention to her own health, and she began to realize that filial piety was not a blind sacrifice, but rooted in a shared respect for family and personal dignity.
On a sunny afternoon, mother and daughter went out for a walk together and sat down on a park bench to rest. Li Hua sighed: "Mom, when we all did this, we found out that the real filial piety is to let each other live well. ”
Li Xiuying gently stroked her daughter's hand, "Yes, I understand now that filial piety requires wisdom." ”
It was through this experience that Li Hua realized a profound family concept. She realized that filial piety should not be a breathless burden, but should be a relaxation based on mutual understanding and love. She used her actions and choices to prove to those around her that filial piety and personal happiness are not contradictory, but can coexist in harmony.
Li Hua's story concludes with her new understanding of family relationships and personal well-being, bringing new revelation and reflection to those who struggle between filial piety and personal growth. As Li Hua has learned, true filial piety should be willing on both sides, not a unilateral effort, nor a bottomless demand, but mutual respect and support based on deep feelings.