Theme: Willpower
Where there's a will, there's a
way
The two brothers Marcos and Miguel were playing Ludo. In
this game, each player has to go forward the space
houses with their 4 pieces on the board, depending on
the number that comes out in the dice. Whoever arrives
with all the pieces to the place indicated, wins.
It was Mark's turn. He was annoyed because there were
several moves that he only took low numbers. Miguel was
luckier, took 6 or 5 several times, so he was winning.
Marcos was hopeful, shook the dice and played but the
number 1 came out.
It was then the nervous boy threw the dice away and
shouted:
- Damn it!
Then he messed up all the pieces of the board and then
shouted:
- I do not want to play it anymore! This game is very
annoying!
- Why have you done this, Mark? You are boring! Just
because I was winning! It’s not possible to play with
you! - Said Miguel, angry at his brother's behaviour.
Their mother saw what had happened, ordered them to save
the game, calmed Miguel and after a while called Marcos
to talk:
- Son, why did you ruin the game? When you started
playing, you knew you could win or lose. Would you like
if Miguel did it when you were almost winning?
- I know it was wrong mama! - Said Marcos. - But I get
really nervous when I lose.
- Well, I think it's good you control yourself,
otherwise he will not want to play with you anymore!
Said his mother.
That same week, Marcos was playing soccer with his
friends when the other team scored a goal. He was so
furious that he kicked the ball which ended up on the
avenue between two passing cars. The boys got annoyed
and told him to pick up the ball. But Mark did not
listen to them and irritated with everything went home
in a rampage.
Many similar situations repeated until one day Marcos
was sad and wanted to speak with his mother.
- What is it, my dear? - She asked.
- It's just that my friends no longer want to play with
me. They don’t let me in the team and even when it's me
who invites, they don’t want to play. I know it's
because I sometimes get nervous but I can’t do anything,
I can’t control myself.
- Son, I'm glad you've figured it out! This is already
an important step. But you're wrong about not being able
to control yourself. I want to tell you something I
learned by reading "The Spirits’ Book."
Marcos's mother was spirit and very studious. She then
explained that people are never meant to commit evil.
They may have bad tendencies, but they always have the
free will to choose if they give in to these evil
inclinations or not.
- Like what? Marcos asked without understanding.
The mother went on:
- Each of us has moral imperfections. We reincarnate to
improve spiritually and evolve. But we have free choice,
that is, free will, which is the ability to choose what
we are going to do. It often happens that we still do
not have enough willpower to do what is right, and we
continue with our usual behaviour. If we really want to
improve, we will always receive from God the necessary
resources and the help of the good spirits as well. So
Mark, you say you cannot, but you really do not really
want to control yourself yet.
Marcos then understood. He realized that to change he
would have to work hard. They kept talking for a while
and the mother helped him making a list of attitudes
that could help him.
The boy spent a few more days not being accepted in
games, but after a while, the opportunities arose. He
started playing with new friends and was very happy
about it.
His mother always reminded him of his proposal. He said
that he needed to be prepared for the possibility of
losing, and that the most important thing was to have
friends and have fun. She also told him to count to ten
before taking a wrong turn. If he got too nervous, he
could leave the game for a few minutes. They still
prayed together, asking Mark's guardian angel to help
him.
After a while, Miguel agreed to return to play with his
brother. They played board games, basketball, soccer,
betting race and more.
At many moments, Mark was as nervous as before, but he
remembered the resources he had and used them. At first
it was difficult, but soon he became used to the new
attitudes and realized that they were worth it. The
effort he made was far less than the satisfaction he
felt in controlling himself. He was happy to have
friends who liked to play with him, and especially
because he had learned that when it comes to getting
better, where there's a will, there's a way.
Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com
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