Necessity of forgiveness 

 
The day was beautiful and pleasant. Marcelo, though, arrived home nervous and irritated.

He came in stamping his feet, slammed the door and threw his backpack on a chair.

His mom, who observed him, came closer asking:

— Why are you so moody, my son? Sun is shining out there and life is beautiful! What happened to justify the nasty way you came in today?

The boy answered, grumpy:

— I’m mad at Gabriel. Besides ripping my favorite book, he still argued with me. I’ll never forgive him! His mom hugged him and said: — Don’t say that, my son. We all need forgiveness, because we also make mistakes. Jesus taught that we should forgive not only seven times, but seventy times seven. That is, he taught that we should always forgive. Besides, we should never judge others. I   wonder if  Gabriel tore   your   book   on

purpose.

— I couldn’t care less. I don’t him as a friend anymore — said the boy.

His mom went with her fingers through his hair and said:

— Try to forgive, Marcelo. While you don’t forget it, you won’t have peace and happiness.

— I can’t, mom. I think I don’t know how to forgive.

His mom seemed to meditate for some time and then she said:

— Do you remember when you got that bike?

— How could I forget? —Marcelo replied. — How many times I fell down till I started riding around!

— That’s true, my son. Today, though, you don’t remember it anymore when you go for a ride. What about swimming?

— Those were hard times! — the boy said.

— And when you started reading and writing? — his mom insisted.

— That was hard. Thanks God now I know how to do both — the boy said, happy.

— So, my son, no pain, no gain. Our shortcomings also need a whole lot of good will of our part to be improved. And grudge is one of them. We need to learn how to forgive.

— Ah! Got that already. You mean that I need to exercise forgiveness, right?

— Exactly.

— Ok, mom. I’ll try.

On the following day, Marcelo went to play with a neighbor and, accidentally, broke the kid’s miniature car.

Sad, but conformed, the boy accepted his apologies, saying:

— It doesn’t matter, Marcelo. I know you didn’t mean to.

As he heard his friend’s words, that should be mad at him, Marcelo remembered his mom’s words when she said everybody needs forgiveness.

On that same day, he looked for his classmate and, with a sincere smile, said:

— I want to apologize if I were rude the other day, Gabriel.

— You were right, Marcelo. I tore your book — the boy said.

— But I’m sure you didn’t mean to — he said.

— That’s right. It fell off my hands and, trying to hold it, I ended up tearing it.

	They hugged each other, promising a mutual friendship. After classes, Marcelo took Gabriel to his house and introduced to his mother. — Mom, this is my “friend” Gabriel — he said, stressing the word. Satisfied by his son’s smile, his mom realized the misunderstanding   was over and that Marcelo had
learned how to forgive.

                               Aunt Célia