Becoming the Sun of My Family Through Faith

I began practicing Nichiren Buddhism as a young teenager. At that stage of my life, I was the youngest member of my family and had very few responsibilities. My parents and elder brother always protected me, and I naturally developed the habit of depending on others whenever challenges appeared.

Everything gradually changed through Buddhist practice.

Reading my mentor's guidance and participating wholeheartedly in activities taught me that every obstacle is an opportunity to polish my life. Whenever I faced difficulties, I would ask myself, "How would I respond if my mentor were standing beside me?" That single question slowly transformed my attitude toward life.

In 2019, our family received devastating news when my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. Emotionally and financially, everything seemed uncertain. While my family struggled with fear, I determined to strengthen my prayer and become a source of hope rather than anxiety.

After months of treatment, another major challenge emerged. Because of an administrative dispute, the medical benefits that supported my father's treatment were suddenly withdrawn. The legal process seemed overwhelming, and every passing month brought enormous medical expenses.

Until then, I had always believed that someone else in the family would solve difficult problems. But through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, I realized something profound. My greatest responsibility was not simply to worry about the situation—it was to transform my own life condition first.

Ikeda Sensei writes:

"The important thing is that we ourselves are strong in faith, for we are thereby opening a path for everyone around us.… Once the sun rises in our lives, we can illuminate everything. That is why we should strive to become the sun of our homes and our families."

Those words completely changed my perspective. Instead of asking who would solve our problems, I decided that I would become the "sun" of my family through my prayer, courage, and actions.

I prayed not only for my father's recovery but also for justice. Supported by sincere friends and unexpected well-wishers, our legal battle progressed remarkably quickly, resulting in a favorable outcome that restored crucial medical support for my father's treatment.

At the same time, I challenged myself to create actual proof in my own career. I worked with greater responsibility, constantly reminding myself of the Buddhist principle of giving my very best wherever I was. My efforts were recognized with a significant salary increase, followed soon by an opportunity with a global organization that further strengthened my family's financial stability during an extremely difficult period.

Rather than becoming comfortable after these victories, I deepened my Buddhist practice even further. I increased my chanting, studied daily, conducted dialogues, encouraged members through home visits, and sincerely supported those who were struggling in their own lives.

As I focused on encouraging others, benefits naturally continued to flow into my own life. My father's treatment steadily progressed, and after years of perseverance, his scans finally showed no evidence of cancer. Our family celebrated what felt like a miracle.

But life presented one final major test.

Shortly afterward, my father suddenly developed severe pneumonia in his already weakened lungs. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator. Doctors informed us that his chances of survival were extremely uncertain.

For a brief moment, fear tried to enter my heart.

Then I remembered Sensei's encouragement:

"True health is found in a positive attitude toward life that refuses to be defeated by anything."

Those words became my determination.

Every single day I stood beside my father's bed chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Rather than asking the doctors only about risks, I asked them what positive improvement they hoped to see during the next twenty-four hours. Each small medical target became the focus of my prayer.

I refused to allow discouraging opinions to weaken my conviction. Instead, I silently repeated to myself:

"Today I will not be defeated. Today I will stand up with courage again."

Every visit to the ICU became an opportunity to strengthen hope rather than fear. I whispered Nam-myoho-renge-kyo into my father's ears, believing that the Mystic Law was reaching his life even when he could barely respond.

To everyone's surprise, his condition began improving rapidly. His carbon dioxide levels dropped dramatically, the ventilator was removed within days, and shortly afterward his vital signs returned to normal. Doctors openly admitted that his recovery had exceeded their expectations.

After leaving the ICU, my father shared that throughout those difficult days he had continuously chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in his heart. Hearing this filled me with overwhelming gratitude.

That experience transformed far more than my father's health.

For the first time, my family began trusting me with important responsibilities and major decisions. Friends who had witnessed the entire journey asked how I had remained calm throughout such an intense struggle. My answer was always the same: faith had taught me not to run away from problems but to face them with courage, wisdom, and compassion.

Looking back, I realize that the greatest victory was not only my father's recovery. The greatest transformation happened within me. The person who once avoided responsibility became someone who willingly stepped forward whenever challenges appeared. Through prayer, action, and continuous human revolution, I discovered strength that I never knew existed.

Today, I continue striving to become a source of hope in my family, workplace, and community. My determination is to encourage many more people, strengthen the lives of young members, and demonstrate through my own life that every obstacle can become the starting point of an even greater victory when faced with unwavering faith, compassionate action, and the heart of a lion king.