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Spiritism for Kids - Célia Xavier Camargo - Portuguese  Spanish
Year 10 - N° 510 - April 2, 2017

Translation
Johnny Silveira / silveirajohnny@yahoo.com
 

 

Lies, Never Again!
 

Richard arrived home from school, threw his backpack on a chair and went straight to the kitchen where his mother fixed lunch.

- Hi, Mom!

- Hello, Richard! What happened, dear? - she asked as she looked at him and noticed that something was not right.

Looking unhappy, the boy said:

- Nothing. Everything's all right.

- Then why the long face?

- It’s George, Mom. I cannot stand his lies anymore!

- Have patience, honey. Life will teach George that he should not lie. The truth always appears.

- I know, Mom, but I cannot bear to hear so many lies. Do you want to know what he said today? Our teacher asked us about our families and he said that his father is a very rich man, that they live in a beautiful house and that they have a brand new car! But I know that it is all a lie! I want to expose him to the class.

Dona1 Flora looked at her son in his eight-year-old indignation and said:

- Lying is a very ugly thing to do but George certainly does not do it to be mean, sweetheart. Moreover, he does not only have flaws. We all have good qualities and flaws. He must also have a good side, like everyone else. Let's see: What do you think are his good traits?

Richard thought hard and answered, surprised:

- I do not know. I have never noticed!

- There you are, dear. You just look at the negative side of George. Begin to observe him and you will discover good

qualities in him. Then we'll talk again, okay?

The boy agreed.

The next day he remembered the conversation he had had with his mother and began to pay attention to his classmate. Right at the entrance he saw a hurriedly little boy who dropped all his belongings on the ground. George ran and, bending down, collected the boy's things.

"Point for George," Richard thought. At recess, a girl fell and began to cry. Their classmates found it amusing and laughed. George, however, approached and helped her to her feet, asking gently:

- Did it hurt? Come here. I'll take you to get a bandage.

- It was nothing. Thank you, George.

The bell rang and they all went back to their classrooms. Even after the class was over, Richard continued to watch his friend. He saw when a boy said he did not understand the maths lesson. George promptly volunteered to help him.

- Later on I'll come to your house and explain the lesson to you. You'll see how easy it is. Soon you will understand everything.

Richard was more and more surprised. He got home and his mother asked:

- So? Did you do what we agreed?

- Mom, you were right! He is gentle, generous, kind, helpful...
 

- Wow! Did you realise all this in a single day?

- I did. I really misjudged him! I admit I was wrong.

He told his mother everything he had seen during the day in school, and ended by saying:

- You know that even his lies do not bother me anymore?

- I believe you, honey. The flaw of lying has become something small in the face of his other qualities. I'm just sorry that someday he's going to suffer for it.

A week later, they were in class when someone knocked on the door. It was a simple man with the appearance of a labourer that had a small package in his hands. Timidly, he excused himself and entered.

- Good morning, teacher. I'm George's father. I am late for work but I realised he had forgotten his lunch and I came to bring it to him. Here it is.

George, blushing with embarrassment, cringed in his desk trying to go unnoticed. But there was no way. He was forced to get up and fetch his snack from his father.

The man thanked them and said good-bye. Feeling humiliated, George did not even have the guts to look around but could hear muffled giggles.

Richard, sympathetic to his friend's situation, turned to him and said in a loud voice:

- I really liked your father, George. He seems very nice and has shown that he cares about you. Even though he was late for work, he put his son first. Congratulations!

The others students, seeing Richard’s attitude, began to change their behaviour and agreed with him. Someone asked:

- What does your father do?

- He's a builder. He works for a major construction company - answered George, still embarrassed, but now more at ease.

- A builder?! ... Is he helping to build houses and those huge buildings? - a girl asked.

- Yes, he is. My father often works there on top of the buildings. And he is not afraid!

- Wow! But then he must be very brave!

- How important he is! - another kid exclaimed and then said - You know, teacher, I saw the other day in the television news that a building collapsed and a lot of people died. Many of the survivors lost everything they had. You have to be able to trust the people who build the buildings!

- That’s right. Everyone has to take responsibility for what they are doing. Be it the engineers who make the plants or those who work in the construction.

The conversation spread to everyone in a friendly and pleasant way. While the others talked, George exchanged a grateful look with Richard.

As they leaving school, George approached Richard.

- Thank you, friend. You got me out of a difficult situation. But today I learned a lesson. Lies, never again. They are not worth it. Besides, you made me understand something important.

- What?

- I should be proud of my father.

- That’s correct! Friends?

- Friends!

- Would you like to have lunch at my house today? I want to introduce you to my mother. She wants to meet you.

- Really? Why?

- Because now I admire you greatly. 

Happily, they both embraced each other like true friends. 

AUNT CELIA

(1) In Brazilian society, Dona is a term of respect that is used with the woman’s first name.
 


 



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