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Although she
was not
rich, Clara
had
everything
she needed.
She lived in
a
comfortable
house, she
had a loving
family and
her dad
always
bought her
things.
But Clara
had a big
problem: the
lie.
She lied
constantly,
to anyone in
anytime. She
lied so much
that she
couldn’t
stop
anymore. Lying
had become
a
habit
in her
life and
when it was
least
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expected,
she was
there making
things up
again.
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In fact, she
felt a real
pleasure in this
and her eyes
brimmed with
satisfaction
whenever she
made up a story.
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One day,
Clara was at
school when
a neighbor
came up to
her to ask
if she knew
where her
parents
were.
She started
wondering:
— Of course
I know! My
parents went
to visit my
uncle John
who is very
sick. You
see? He’s
got this
stomach
problem
and...
— And where
does your
uncle live?
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— He lives
near here. I
don’t know
the address,
but it is
close to the
supermarket. |
The man thanked
and left,
worried.
When Clara left
school, after
her classes, she
went home
picking up
flowers and
browsing the
shop windows at
the gift store.
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Arriving
near home,
she noticed
an unusual
roar. There
was smoke
all over the
place and
the
neighbors
tried to put
out the
fire.
As she saw
her parents
sweaty and
tired, who
were taking
the things
outside
home. Clara
asked
surprised:
— What’s
going on,
dad?
Turning back
to her, he
answered
bluntly: |
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— Well, my
daughter,
your mother
forgot the
iron turned
on and the
house caught
fire. Our
neighbors
could tell
by the smoke
that
something
wrong was
going on, so
they asked
you.
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Clara, red as a
beet, was
ashamed.
— So, we went to
visit Uncle John
who is sick?
Clara tried to
apologize,
stuttering:
— Dad, I’m
sorry. I never
thought it could
do any harm!
— “Any harm”?
Daughter, do you
realize what you
did with this
lie?
We lost almost
everything!
Had you told the
truth, it means,
that we had gone
to the ranch,
near the city,
part of the
problem could
have been
solved. Although
they tried to
help, our
friends couldn’t
get the door
open, because it
was locked. Had
they found us
before, nothing
would have
happened.
— I feel so bad!
— I hope you can
take a lesson
from it, Clara.
Thank God, we
only lost
material stuff.
Our family is
fine — he
completed,
relieved.
Clara promised
with watery
eyes:
— I’ll control
myself, dad. I
won’t tell lies
anymore. From
now on I just
want to tell the
truth.
Aunt Célia
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