Theme: Cultivating good habits
The grandpa's garden
Once upon a time there was a very cheerful boy who liked
to spend his afternoons in his grandfather's big
backyard. There were some trees that provided good shade
on hot days and a lawn where the boy played with a ball.
But the most beautiful part of the yard was the
vegetable garden which the grandfather tended with great
affection.
One day, the boy noticed that his grandfather was
carrying a hoe and a pair of thick gloves towards the
garden.
- Grandpa are we going to pick the tomatoes today? -
said the excited boy.
- Not today, son, they still need more time to grow -
said the grandfather, putting the hoe on the ground. -
Today I'm going to clear the soil from this bed to plant
flowers. Do you want to help me?
The boy looked at it blankly. That bed didn't look any
different from the others, as there were several sprouts
growing there and some even had small yellow flowers.
- But there are already flowers growing here, Grandpa.
Can't we just let them grow and plant the new flowers
somewhere else?
The grandfather gave his grandson a smile and called him
closer.
|
- Take a good
look at the
leaves of these
plants. What do
they look like? |
After a long pause, the boy replied: |
- I don't know... They're different from all the other
plants here.
- Exactly, you observed well - said the grandfather,
satisfied. - Those are weeds. They are dangerous for the
garden because they grow very quickly and take up space
from other plants. Therefore, even if they have some
flowers, it is necessary to pluck them.
The grandfather put the thick gloves he had brought on
his grandson's hands. While the boy pulled the weeds
from the bed, the grandfather stirred the earth with the
hoe, saying:
- Our life is like this flowerbed. We need to plant good
deeds just as we plant good seeds. That's what will
bring us good fruit. But just planting is not enough.
Every day, we should water the garden and take care of
the plants, right? In our lives too, we have to
cultivate good habits and beware of habits that are like
weeds: they look good, but they steal space from other
things. Do you understand?
That afternoon, the boy helped his grandfather to make
the land soft and ready for the planting of flowers.
Even after many years had passed, he remembered his
grandfather's garden and the precious advice he received
that day.
(Text by Lívia Seneda.)
Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com
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