|
Lilica,
a
seven-year-old
girl,
was
playing
in the
square
in front
of her
house
when she
saw a
gentleman
sit down
on a
bench
and
watch
her.
Soon,
feeling
exhausted
from
jumping
rope,
she
stopped
and sat
down on
a bench
nearby.
She was
really
tired!
-
Jumping
rope is
pretty
tiring,
isn’t
it? -
asked
the
smiling
man who
had been
watching
her.
|
She turned to
him and replied:
- Tiring but
great. Do you
jump rope too?
- No, I have
never jumped
rope! My
business was
running.
- Oh, and is it
good to run?
- It’s good but
it's also very
tiring... like
your rope!
- And what do
you do now if
you do not run
anymore?
- I take care of
my business,
which is also
tiring.
- Ah! But why
don’t you change
your job, since
it gets you so
tired?
The man thought
for a moment and
replied:
- I cannot do it
now. I put
everything I had
into my business
and I can’t
abandon it. Do
you understand?
- No. Why can’t
you start
another
business?
- Because I make
a lot of money
with what I do
now.
- Ah! ... If
that's why, do
not worry.
Nothing you have
is really yours.
My father
explained to me
that nothing we
have here is
really ours!
- What do you
mean? Why is it
not ours? - he
asked, feeling
very curious.
- Because when
we leave this
life, we will
not take
anything with us
- she explained.
The man was
thoughtful for a
few seconds,
then taking a
deep breath said:
- You’re right,
girl. We will
take nothing of
what we gather
here in this
life. So why
fight so hard,
why try to be
good? All of
this to me is a
conundrum!
- What did you
say? What does
this word mean?…
Conun...
- Conundrum. It
means that which
is unknown and
almost
impossible to
find out! You
see?
- More or less.
However, my
father always
says that we
will take with
us all the good
we have done to
ourselves and to
others. So it is
not impossible
to find out and
it is not
unknown!
- Are you
Spiritists? - he
asked.
- Yes. And my
dad says it's
the only
religion that
tells us about
the future by
explaining where
we came from,
where we're
going, and what
we're doing here.
The man looked
at her closely,
then murmured:
- Little girl,
you are very
intelligent!
Where do you
live?
- Right there.
Across the
street.
- Ah! And is
your father home
now?
- I think so. He
comes home from
his office at
about this time
everyday.
- Do you think
he would talk to
me, just like
you are doing?
- Of course!
Come with me. I'll
take you to our
house.
The girl crossed
the street and
opened the gate.
They climbed a
few steps and
she opened the
door, calling:
- Dad! Dad! Here
is a friend of
mine who wants
to talk to you!
The office door
opened and her
father came
over, feeling a
bit startled:
- What happened,
Lilica? Why are
you shouting?
- There’s a
friend of mine
who wants to
talk to you,
Daddy.
The man looked
at Lilica's
father and
apologised,
holding out his
hand:
- Sir, my name
is Alberto
Rodrigues. I had
a great talk
with your
daughter in the
square and she
told me about
things that
intrigued me.
Could we talk
for a bit? If
you can’t now, I
am willing to
come back
another time.
Lilica's
father
invited
him into
the
office
and said
that
time was
not a
problem.
They
could
talk for
as long
as
necessary.
- Sit
down,
please.
I am at
your
disposal.
The
visitor
smiled
and
explained
to the
father
that his
daughter
Lilica
had told
him
things
that had
baffled
him and
that was
why he
wanted
to talk.
- You
guys are
Spiritists,
correct?
-
Alberto
asked.
Lilica's
father
confirmed
and
Alberto
began to
ask him
a series
of
questions
that
were
troubling
him.
|
|
They talked for
a few hours and
as he was
leaving, Alberto
saw Lilica in
the living room
and said: |
- Lilica, thanks
to you now I'm a
Spiritist too!
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Célia X. de
Camargo on
14/11/2016.)