Theme: Prayer

Valentim's prayer

Valentim was very sad. His little dog Toby was sick. He was already twelve years old, which is a very old age for dogs. In the last few days, he just wanted to lie down, eat very little and only drink water when Valentim or his mother brought the bowl to him.

So that day, first thing in the morning, Valentim's father took Toby to the vet.

Valentim was watching his favorite cartoon on television when his mother entered the room, bringing news:

- Dad called. The vet said that Toby will need to be hospitalized because he is very weak and needs special care. But he's going to be well taken care of, okay, honey?

- Mom, I'm scared. I don't want Toby to die - he said, starting to cry.

The mother hugged the boy until he calmed down.

When he stopped crying, Valentim, remembering the cartoon he was watching, said:

- If I found the magic lamp and could make three wishes, I would ask the genie to heal Toby, make him go back to being a young dog and never get old or sick again.

- We don't have the lamp - said mom - but we can ask someone very powerful for help. We can say a prayer to God and ask Him for help.

- Oh yeah! - exclaimed the boy, excited. Let's pray to God to save Toby!

Valentim and his mother prayed together, talking to God about everything that was happening and asking for His protection so that Toby would get well.

At the end of the afternoon the vet called saying that they could go get Toby, because he had a good day. He had eaten, was hydrated and had responded well to the medications.

Valentim went to the clinic with his father to pick up his dog. Toby, seeing them, wagged his tail and got up, walking towards them. Valentim was very happy to find him again and see him on his feet again.

The vet explained that he had not been walking before as he had back pain. He was pain free now, because of the medication. He also explained that his teeth were worn out and therefore Toby could only eat pasty food from then on. And he gave a further series of recommendations.

When they got home, Valentim's mother hugged Toby and, after putting him in his bed, she called Valentim and they said another prayer, thanking God that everything was okay.

Everyone was happy. However, after a few days, Toby did not want to get up again. Valentim took the food and water for him and was pleasing his friend for a long time. Toby, despite his weakness, seemed calm and looked at Valentim from time to time, returning the affection.

When the time came, Valentim had to get ready and go to school. When he returned in the late afternoon, his mother broke the news that Toby had died.

Valentim was very sad and started to cry. Once again, his mother hugged him.

– Mom, it would be better if we had Aladdin's lamp anyway. It was no use praying to God – said Valentim sobbing. – Poor Toby!

Mom waited for her son to calm down and then talked to him.

Valentim took a while to accept the separation from his friend. Only later, when he grew up, he understood that all sincere prayers, made with good feelings, are indeed heard and answered by God.

Only with time Valentim understood that nature has its cycles and that the puppy already needed to leave that aged body. And he could see that, despite having died, Toby had received all the support. He hadn't been hungry, or thirsty, or in pain. And that he too could feel all of Valentim's affection for him.

The boy also understood that, like the genie in the lamp, God always answers us, but unlike him, God only does the best for us.

Time passed and Valentim got another puppy. If it was Toby, in another body, we don't know, and it doesn't matter so much. What matters is that they became great friends too. And life moved on...

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com